Long-Term Outcomes After Stent Implantation for Left Main Coronary Artery (from the Multicenter Assessing Optimal Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Left Main Coronary Artery Stenting Registry)

State-of-the-art percutaneous coronary intervention for left main coronary artery disease in Japan

Percutaneous coronary intervention for left main coronary artery disease (LM-PCI) represents a high-risk yet life-saving procedure that has evolved significantly over the years. This review outlines the current state-of-the-art practices for LM-PCI in Japan in detail, emphasizing the integration of coronary physiology and intracoronary imaging alongside with evidence-based standardized technique using latest drug-eluting stents. These advancements enable precise lesion assessment, stent sizing, and optimal deployment, thereby enhancing procedural safety and efficacy. Despite discrepancies between current guidelines favoring coronary artery bypass grafting and real-world practice trends towards increased LM-PCI adoption, particularly in elderly populations with multiple comorbidities, careful patient selection and procedural planning are critical. Future perspectives include further refining LM-PCI through conducting randomized controlled trials integrating advanced techniques and addressing the issue of ostial left circumflex lesions and nationwide standardization of medical care for LM disease.

Bail-Out Techniques in Percutaneous Intervention for Ellis Grade III Coronary Perforation in Left Main Distal Bifurcation Lesions

The left main (LM) coronary artery stenosis is associated with high morbidity and mortality and has traditionally been treated with coronary artery bypass grafting. However, in recent years, advancements in device technology and adjunctive pharmacotherapy have led to the widespread use of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) as a treatment for unprotected LM lesions. Despite this, LM lesions are often complex, involving distal bifurcation and heavy calcification, which increases the risk of coronary perforation (CP) during PCI. In addition, the use of rotational or orbital atherectomy in severely calcified LM bifurcation lesions carries a higher risk of complications and in-hospital mortality than that in non-LM lesions. CP is a rare but potentially fatal complication of PCI, particularly in cases of Ellis grade III (CP-G3), with a high rate of cardiac tamponade and mortality. The management of CP-G3 in LM distal bifurcation lesions is challenging and requires specialized techniques. This article presents a flowchart of bail-out strategies for CP-G3 in LM distal bifurcation lesions and provides detailed procedures for each technique. Furthermore, we highlight the challenges and limitations of each technique, requiring careful management when CP-G3 occurs in LM distal bifurcation lesions.

Heart Team Intervention for Calcified Left Main Coronary Disease and Jeopardized Left Internal Mammary Artery Graft

It is sometimes difficult to identify the culprit lesion and treatment strategy in patients with acute coronary syndrome who have complex coronary lesions and jeopardized left internal mammary artery graft. This report describes a heart team approach for a non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction case with complex coronary vasculature. A 73-year-old man presented to the emergency department with crescendo angina. He had a history of total aortic arch replacement with concomitant coronary artery bypass graft using left internal mammary artery. Emergent coronary angiography demonstrated severe stenosis at left main trunk bifurcation caused by calcified nodule. While the bypass graft to left anterior descending coronary artery was patent, the proximal segment of left subclavian artery was occluded. Following the prompt discussion with our heart team, we performed percutaneous coronary intervention in the first step for treating the left main stenosis using rotational atherectomy into the unprotected left circumflex artery. After clinical recovery, stress myocardial scintigraphy identified the presence of anteroseptal ischemia, which indicated coronary subclavian steal syndrome due to left subclavian artery occlusion. Contrast-enhanced CT visualized that the occlusion originated from the anastomosis, suggesting the potential procedural risk of endovascular treatment by dilatation. Our heart team discussed again and decided to undergo axillo-axillary artery bypass surgery. He was discharged 8 days after the surgery without any sequelae. This is the rare case report of non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction who had similar condition to coronary subclavian steal syndrome after total aortic arch replacement. This case highlights the importance of a collaborative approach of the heart team to identify the best therapeutic strategy in a patient with complex coronary vasculature.

Rationale, Design, and Implications of Bifurcation Coronary Stenting: Insight from the Indian Bifurcation Stenting (IBIS) Registry

Background

Bifurcation coronary stenting (BCS) has unique therapeutic challenges. Several BCS strategies are prescribed for treatment, with conflicting data, and which is the best strategy for optimal short- and long-term outcomes remains a matter of debate. There is no systematic data from an Indian perspective in regard to patterns of BCS and its outcomes.

Methods and analysis

The Indian Bifurcation Stenting (IBIS) registry is a prospective, nationwide, endpoint-driven, investigator-initiated, multi-center, observational registry to compare the different bifurcation stent strategies, the effect of adjuvant techniques, and bifurcation anatomical differences in predicting short- and long-term clinical outcomes of bifurcation coronary interventions in India. A total of 1,000 patients from 20 clinical sites across the country will be enrolled in this study from September 2020 to August 2023. The primary endpoint will be the composite endpoint of major adverse cardiac events including cardiac death, target lesion myocardial infarction (MI), and ischemia-driven target lesion revascularization at the end of two years. The secondary endpoints include all causes of death, MI, target vessel revascularization, in-stent restenosis, stroke, and predefined procedural parameters. The safety endpoint is the occurrence of definite or probable stent thrombosis.

Conclusion

The aim of this prospective observational registry is to assess the practice patterns and clinical outcomes of patients undergoing coronary bifurcation lesion angioplasty in India. This will be extremely useful to provide an evidence-based insight as well as guidance to bifurcation angioplasty in India.

Percutaneous coronary intervention in side branch coronary arteries: Insights from the Japanese nationwide registry

Background

Performance of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in side-branch vessels (SB-PCI) has not been fully investigated despite the technical advancement of PCI.

Methods

We investigated 257,492 patients registered in the Japanese nationwide PCI registry from January to December 2018; 199,767 (78%) underwent PCI for major vessel PCI (MV-PCI), 21,555 (8.4%) underwent SB-PCI, and 24,862 (9.6%) underwent PCI for both vessels (SB + MV-PCI). The frequencies of primary composite adverse events, defined as in-hospital mortality and procedural complications (i.e., peri-procedural myocardial infarction, tamponade, new-onset cardiogenic shock, stent thrombosis, emergent surgery, and bleeding), and PCI for restenotic lesions were investigated. Their association with institutional frequency of each PCI was also investigated.

Results

Fewer drug-eluting stents (66% vs. 86%) and more drug-coated balloons (23% vs. 9%) were used in SB-PCI than in MV-PCI (p < 0.001). Pre-procedure non-invasive testing was similarly performed in SB-PCI and MV-PCI (57% vs. 61%). The composite endpoint was observed in 0.7%, 1.9%, and 2.2% of the SB-PCI, SB + MV-PCI, and MV-PCI groups, respectively (p < 0.001). Institutional frequency of SB-PCI was inversely associated with the composite-endpoint risk for all PCI procedures (odds ratio 1.37, 95% confidence interval 1.04–1.81 in the lowest tertile, with reference to the middle tertile, p = 0.02). Frequency of PCI for restenotic lesions was also inversely associated with the institutional frequency of MV-PCI (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

SB-PCI was performed safely with a low frequency of acute complications, and higher SB-PCI frequency presented a lower risk of in-hospital adverse events, albeit with a cost of an increase in PCI for restenotic lesions.

Impact of lesion preparation strategies on outcomes of left main PCI: The EXCEL trial

OBJECTIVES

We examined outcomes according to lesion preparation strategy (LPS) in patients with left main coronary artery (LMCA) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the EXCEL trial.

BACKGROUND

The optimal LPS for LMCA PCI is unclear.

METHODS

We categorized LPS hierarchically (high to low) as: (a) rotational atherectomy (RA); (b) cutting or scoring balloon (CSB); (c) balloon angioplasty (BAL); and d) direct stenting (DIR). The primary endpoint was 3-year MACE; all-cause death, stroke, or myocardial infarction.

RESULTS

Among 938 patients undergoing LMCA PCI, RA was performed in 6.0%, CSB 9.5%, BAL 71.3%, and DIR 13.2%. In patients treated with DIR, BAL, CSB, and RA, respectively, there was a progressive increase in SYNTAX score, LMCA complex bifurcation, trifurcation or calcification, number of stents, and total stent length. Any procedural complication occurred in 10.4% of cases overall, with the lowest rate in the DIR (7.4%) and highest in the RA group (16.1%) (p_trend  = .22). There were no significant differences in the 3-year rates of MACE (from RA to DIR: 17.9%, 20.2%, 14.5%, 14.7%; p = .50) or ischemia-driven revascularization (from RA to DIR: 16.8%, 10.8%, 12.3%, 14.2%; p = .65). The adjusted 3-year rates of MACE did not differ according to LPS.

CONCLUSIONS

The comparable 3-year outcomes suggest that appropriate lesion preparation may be able to overcome the increased risks of complex LMCA lesion morphology.

Difference in basic concept of coronary bifurcation intervention between Korea and Japan. Insight from questionnaire in experts of Korean and Japanese bifurcation clubs

The coronary bifurcation intervention varies among countries due to the differences in assessment of lesion severity and treatment devices. We sought to clarify the difference in basic strategy between South Korea and Japan. A total of 19 and 32 experts from Korean (KBC) and Japanese Bifurcation Clubs (JBC), respectively, answered a survey questionnaire concerning their usual procedure of coronary bifurcation intervention. JBC experts performed less two-stent deployment in the left main (LM) bifurcation compared to KBC experts (JBC vs. KBC: median, 1–10% vs. 21–30%, p < 0.0001) instead of higher performance of side branch dilation after cross-over stenting in both LM (60% vs. 21%, p = 0.001) and non-LM bifurcations (30% vs. 5%, p = 0.037). KBC experts more frequently performed proximal optimization technique (POT) in non-LM bifurcation (41–60% vs. 81–99%, p = 0.028) and re-POT in both LM (1–20% vs. 81–99%, p = 0.017) and non-LM bifurcations (1–20% vs. 81–99%, p = 0.0003). JBC experts more frequently performed imaging-guided percutaneous coronary intervention, whereas KBC experts more often used a pressure wire to assess side branch ischemia. JBC experts used a rotablator more aggressively under the guidance of optical coherence tomography. We clarified the difference in the basic strategy of coronary bifurcation intervention between South Korea and Japan for better understanding the trend in each country.

Long-Term Outcomes of Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation After Rotational Atherectomy for Left Main Coronary Artery Bifurcation Lesions

The clinical outcomes of drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation after rotational atherectomy (RA) for complex left main coronary artery (LMCA) bifurcation lesions remain unclear. Among 1,809 patients retrospectively enrolled in the Assessing Optimal percutaneous coronary Intervention for LMCA Registry, we identified 1,199 patients with LMCA bifurcation lesions treated by crossover stenting with DES for the main vessel. The study population was divided according to the use of RA. The patients in the RA group were further subdivided into the 2 subgroups on the basis of the stenting approach. The rates of periprocedural myocardial infarction and in-hospital death in the RA group were comparable to those in the non-RA group. The cumulative 5-year incidences of all-cause death and target lesion revascularization (TLR) were significantly higher in the RA group than those in the non-RA group. However, after adjusting confounders, the excess risks of the RA group relative to the non-RA group for all-cause death and TLR were no longer significant (hazard ratio 0.95, 95% confidence intervals 0.59 to 1.52, p = 0.83, and hazard ratio 1.46, 95% confidence intervals 0.82 to 2.60, p = 0.20, respectively). In the RA group, the cumulative 5-year incidences of all-cause death and TLR were markedly higher in the 2-stent subgroup than in the 1-stent subgroup (58.1% vs 26.0%, p = 0.001, and 43.0% vs 16.3%, p = 0.001, respectively). In conclusion, DES implantation after RA was a safe and feasible strategy in treating those patients with complex LMCA bifurcation lesions. In this strategy, the 2-stent approach was associated with markedly worse 5-year clinical outcomes than the 1-stent approach.

Acute Coronary Syndrome With Unprotected Left Main Coronary Artery Culprit - An Observation From the AOI-LMCA Registry

BACKGROUND

Data on the clinical outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for unprotected left main coronary artery (LMCA) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are limited. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the clinical outcome of patients with ACS who underwent PCI for LMCA culprit lesion.Methods and Results:Of 1,809 patients enrolled in the Assessing Optimal Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for the LMCA (AOI-LMCA) registry (a retrospective 6-center registry of consecutive patients undergoing LMCA stenting in Japan), the current study population consisited of 1,500 patients with unprotected LMCA stenting for LMCA ACS (ACS with shock: 115 patients, ACS without shock: 281 patients) and stable CAD (1,104 patients). The cumulative 180-day incidence of death was markedly higher in the ACS with shock group than in the other groups (49.5%, 8.6%, and 3.3%, respectively; P<0.0001), but mortality beyond 180-day was not significantly different among the 3 groups (30.2%, 20.4%, and 19.5%, respectively; P=0.65). In the ACS with shock group, the initial TIMI flow grade did not affect 5-year mortality (57.1% and 62.2%, P=0.99), but in the ACS without shock group, 5-year mortality was significantly higher in patients with initial TIMI flow grade ≤1 than in patients with TIMI flow grade ≥2 (44.4% and 23.7%, respectively; P=0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with LMCA ACS, survival correlates with baseline hemodynamic and coronary flow status.

Prognostic impact of final kissing balloon technique after crossover stenting for the left main coronary artery: from the AOI-LMCA registry

It is still uncertain whether the final kissing balloon technique (FKBT) is mandatory after crossover stenting for the left main coronary artery (LMCA). Assessing Optimal Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for LMCA (AOI-LMCA) registry, a 6-center retrospective registry, enrolled 1809 consecutive patients for LMCA stenting in Japan. In the present analysis, 5-year clinical outcomes were compared between non-FKBT (n = 160) and FKBT (n = 578) groups in patients treated with crossover stenting with drug-eluting stents from the LMCA to the left anterior descending artery. Propensity score-matched analysis was also performed in 160 patient pairs. In the entire study population as well as in the propensity-matched population, the cumulative 5-year incidence of the primary outcome measure (target lesion revascularization: TLR) was not significantly different between the FKBT and non-FKBT groups (10.7 versus 14.3%, P = 0.49, and 11.8 versus 14.3%, P = 0.53, respectively). In the sensitivity analysis by the multivariable Cox proportional hazard model, the effect of FKBT relative to non-FKBT for TLR remained insignificant (adjusted HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.47–1.69, P = 0.72). Regarding the TLR location, there were no significant differences in the cumulative incidences of TLR for LMCA-only, for the main branch, and for the side branch between the 2 groups (2.2 versus 1.3%, P = 0.93, 11.8 versus 9.1%, P = 0.71, and 8.2 versus 7.6%, P = 0.82, respectively). FKBT after a 1-stent strategy for LMCA crossover stenting did not affect TLR and other clinical outcomes during 5-year follow-up.

Clinical Trial Registration: Assessing Optimal Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Left Main Coronary Artery Stenting Registry (AOI LMCA Stenting Registry). http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/index/htm/. Unique Identifier: UMIN000014706.

Impact of previous drug-eluting stent restenosis in non-left main coronary artery lesions on long-term outcomes after left main coronary artery stenting: an observation from the AOI-LMCA registry

We hypothesized that patients who had previous target-lesion revascularization (TLR) for DES restenosis in non-left main coronary artery (LMCA) lesions might have a higher risk for restenosis after subsequent DES implantation for a de novo unprotected LMCA lesion. Among 1809 patients enrolled in the Assessing Optimal Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for LMCA (AOI-LMCA) registry, which is a retrospective 6-centre registry of consecutive patients undergoing LMCA stenting in Japan, 251 patients with previous DES implantation for non-LMCA lesions were subdivided into the 2 groups with (N = 56) or without (N = 195) previous TLR in non-LMCA lesions. The risk for TLR for LMCA was neutral between the prior TLR for DES restenosis group and the no prior TLR for DES restenosis group [hazard ratio (HR) 0.99, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.44-2.02, P = 0.98]. The risks for both TLR caused by restenosis of the LMCA main branch, and second TLR for restenosis after first TLR for LMCA were also neutral between the 2 groups (HR 0.42, 95% CI 0.10-1.25, P = 0.13, and HR 0.59, 95% CI 0.03-3.63, P = 0.60, respectively). In conclusion, prior TLR for DES restenosis in non-LMCA lesions was not associated with worse long-term clinical outcomes after DES implantation for de novo unprotected LMCA lesions.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

Assessing Optimal Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Left Main Coronary Artery Stenting Registry (AOI LMCA Stenting Registry). http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/index/htm/ . Unique Identifier: UMIN000014706.