Treatment of coronary lesions with a novel crystalline sirolimus-coated balloon

Background

There is mounting data supporting the use of drug-coated balloons (DCB) not only for treatment of in-stent restenosis (ISR), but also in native coronary artery disease. So far, paclitaxel-coated balloons represented the mainstay DCBs. The SeQuent® crystalline sirolimus-coated balloon (SCB) (B.Braun Medical Inc, Germany) represents a novel DCB, which allows a sustained release of the limus-drug. We evaluated its performance in an all-comer cohort, including complex coronary lesions.

Methods

Consecutive patients treated with the SeQuent® SCB were analyzed from the prospective SIROOP registry (NCT04988685). We assessed clinical outcomes, including major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), target lesion revascularization (TLR), target vessel myocardial infarction (TV-MI) and cardiovascular death. Angiograms and outcomes were independently adjudicated.

Results

From March 2021 to March 2023, we enrolled 126 patients and lesions, of which 100 (79%) treated using a "DCB-only" strategy and 26 (21%) with a hybrid approach (DES + DCB). The mean age was 68 ± 10 years, 48 (38%) patients had an acute coronary syndrome. Regarding lesion characteristics, ISR was treated in 27 (21%), 11 (9%) underwent CTO-PCI and 59 (47%) of the vessels were moderate to severe calcified. Procedural success rate was 100%. At a median follow-up time of 12.7 (IQR 12; 14.2) months, MACE occurred in 5 patients (4.3%). No acute vessel closure was observed.

Conclusions

Our data indicates promising outcomes following treatment with this novel crystalline SCB in an all-comer cohort with complex coronary lesions. These results require further investigation with randomized trials.

Metal free percutaneous coronary interventions in all-comers: First experience with a novel sirolimus-coated balloon

BACKGROUND

Limus-eluting stents have become the mainstay for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, even with the latest generation drug-eluting stent, in-stent restenosis and very late stent thrombosis remain a concern. The Selution SLR™ drug-coated balloon (DCB) is a novel sirolimus-coated balloon that provides a controlled release of the antiproliferative drug. Herein we evaluated its performance in a real-world patient cohort with complex coronary artery lesions.

METHODS

Patients undergoing PCI using the Selution SLR™ DCB were analyzed from the prospective SIROOP registry. We evaluated procedural success and clinical outcomes, including major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction and target lesion revascularization.

RESULTS

From September 2020 to April 2021, we enrolled 78 patients (87 lesions) treated using a "DCB only" strategy. The mean age was 66.7 ± 10.4 years and 28 (36%) presented with an acute coronary syndrome. Almost all lesions were type B2/C 86 (99%) and 49 (63%) had moderate to severe calcifications. Procedural success was 100%. After a median follow-up of 11.2 months (interquartile range: 10.0-12.6), MACE occurred in 5 (6.8%) patients. No acute vessel closure was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

In complex coronary lesions, a "DCB only" strategy using the Selution SLR™ DCB is not just safe and feasible, but also seems to be associated with a low rate of MACE at 1-year follow-up. Our promising results warrant further evaluation in a dedicated comparative trial.

Guidezilla™ guide extension catheter I for transradial coronary intervention

Background

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the preferred treatment method for coronary artery diseases (CAD). This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and complications of the Guidezilla™ guide extension catheter I (GGEC I) in transradial coronary intervention (TRI).

Methods

This case series study included patients with CAD who underwent TRI using the GGEC I between August 2016 and January 2019 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University.

Results

A total of 221 patients aged 65.1 ± 9.26 years were included. Coronary angiography results indicated that most patients (77.8%) had triple-vessel lesions, including 47.5% with chronic total occlusion (CTO). A total of 237 target lesions were treated, most being type C lesions (95.8%). The most common indication for GGEC I use was heavy calcification (67%), followed by extreme tortuosity (12.2%), extreme tortuosity and heavy calcification (10.9%), distally located lesion (4.5%), picking up the retrograde wire (3.2%), anomalous vessel origin (1.8%), and releasing the burr incarceration (0.4%). The mean operation time was 58 min, and the overall success rate was 94.1%. Four patients received a drug-coated balloon. No significant differences were found in operation time and success rate among the low (<23), intermediate (23-32), and severe (>32) CAD groups based on SYNTAX score stratification (P > 0.05). Two subacute thrombosis cases each were reported perioperatively, during hospitalization, and at the 1-month follow-up.

Conclusion

The GGEC I might have advantages for TRI and is unaffected by SYNTAX score stratification.

The role of intravascular ultrasound in percutaneous coronary intervention of complex coronary lesions

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is a catheter-based coronary imaging technique. It utilises the emission & subsequent detection of reflected high frequency (30-60 MHz) sound waves to create high resolution, cross-sectional images of the coronary artery. IVUS has been the cornerstone of intracoronary imaging for more than two decades. When compared to the invasive coronary angiogram which studies only the silhouette of the contrast-filled artery lumen, IVUS also crucially images the vessel wall. Because of this capability, IVUS has greatly facilitated understanding of the coronary atherosclerosis process. Such insights from IVUS reveal how commonly and extensively plain angiography underestimates the true extent of coronary plaque, the characteristics of plaques prone to rupture and cause acute coronary syndromes (lipid rich, thin cap atheroma), and a realisation of the widespread occurrence of vessel remodelling in response to atherosclerosis. Similarly, IVUS has historically provided salutary mechanistic insights that have guided many of the incremental advances in the techniques of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Examples include mechanisms of in-stent restenosis, and the importance of high-pressure post-dilatation of stents to ensure adequate stent apposition and thereby reduce the occurrence of stent thrombosis. IVUS also greatly facilitates the choice of correct diameter and length of stent to implant. Overall, a compelling body of evidence indicates that use of intravascular ultrasound in PCI helps to achieve optimal technical results and to mitigate the risk of adverse cardiac events. In this review, the role of intravascular ultrasound as an adjunct to PCI in complex coronary lesions is explored. The complex coronary situations discussed are the left main stem, ostial stenoses, bifurcation stenoses, thrombotic lesions, the chronically occluded coronary artery, and calcified coronary artery disease. By thorough review of the available evidence, we establish that the advantages of IVUS guidance are particularly evident in each of these complex CAD subsets. In particular, some consider the use of IVUS to be almost mandatory in left main PCI. A comparison with other intracoronary imaging techniques is also explored.

Safety and Efficacy of Guidezilla Extension Catheter for the Percutaneous Treatment of Complex Coronary Lesions

BACKGROUND

The GuidezillaTM support extension catheter is designed to provide extra back-up support and efficient device delivery during complex percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs), such as in treatment of severe calcification, tortuous chronic total occlusions (CTOs), and coronary anomalies. The aim of this study was to describe our initial experience with the GuidezillaTM extension catheter in the treatment of complex coronary artery lesions.

METHODS

This study retrospectively analyzed data from 165 PCI cases that used the GuidezillaTM guide extension catheter between March 2015 and August 2017. We collected patient clinical characteristics, target lesion characteristics, and procedural details.

RESULTS

Eighty-six percent of patients had complex Type C lesions, and 13.9% had Type B lesions. Lesion length ranged from 8 mm to 130 mm (≤ 20 mm, 15.4%; 20-40 mm, 35.8%; > 40 mm, 49.1%). The right coronary artery (59.2%) was the most common intervention vessel followed by the left ascending artery (30.6%) and the left circumflex artery (10.2%). CTO accounted for 38% of all lesions, followed by distortions (28%), heavy calcification (24%), proximal stent thrombosis (9%), and coronary artery origin anomalies (1%). A total of 142 patients underwent successful PCI using the GuidezillaTM extension catheter. The success rate was 86%.

CONCLUSION

The GuidezillaTM guide extension catheter was an effective and safe technique in the transradial treatment of complex coronary lesions. Use of the GuidezillaTM guide extension catheter can shorten the procedure time and ensure overall procedural success with a reduced complication rate in cases where adequate progress using angioplasty devices has not been achieved.

Randomised comparison of provisional side branch stenting versus a two-stent strategy for treatment of true coronary bifurcation lesions involving a large side branch: the Nordic-Baltic Bifurcation Study IV

Background

It is still uncertain whether coronary bifurcations with lesions involving a large side branch (SB) should be treated by stenting the main vessel and provisional stenting of the SB (simple) or by routine two-stent techniques (complex). We aimed to compare clinical outcome after treatment of lesions in large bifurcations by simple or complex stent implantation.

Methods

The study was a randomised, superiority trial. Enrolment required a SB≥2.75 mm, ≥50% diameter stenosis in both vessels, and allowed SB lesion length up to 15 mm. The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiac death, non-procedural myocardial infarction and target lesion revascularisation at 6 months. Two-year clinical follow-up was included in this primary reporting due to lower than expected event rates.

Results

A total of 450 patients were assigned to simple stenting (n=221) or complex stenting (n=229) in 14 Nordic and Baltic centres. Two-year follow-up was available in 218 (98.6%) and 228 (99.5%) patients, respectively. The primary endpoint of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at 6 months was 5.5% vs 2.2% (risk differences 3.2%, 95% CI −0.2 to 6.8, p=0.07) and at 2 years 12.9% vs 8.4% (HR 0.63, 95% CI 0.35 to 1.13, p=0.12) after simple versus complex treatment. In the subgroup treated by newer generation drug-eluting stents, MACE was 12.0% vs 5.6% (HR 0.45, 95% CI 0.17 to 1.17, p=0.10) after simple versus complex treatment.

Conclusion

In the treatment of bifurcation lesions involving a large SB with ostial stenosis, routine two-stent techniques did not improve outcome significantly compared with treatment by the simpler main vessel stenting technique after 2 years.

Trial registration number

NCT01496638.