ABSTRACT
Köster et al10 evaluated 6-month clinical and angiographic outcome after successful excimer laser angioplasty for treatment of in-stent restenosis. Ninety-six patients were studied, and 141 stents were treated. At baseline, the average lesion length was 16 9 mm, and the majority had lesions >10 mm. Initial procedural success was excellent, with no Q-wave infarction and no procedural mortality. During follow-up, there was one infarction and one sudden death. The restenosis rate using a definition of 50% diameter stenosis was 65%. These authors evaluated the effects of a variety of clinical and angiographic factors on subsequent recurrent instent restenosis (Table 10.3). As can be seen, only small and insignificant differences were seen. Of importance is the fact that although overall restenosis rates were high, in 24 patients the lesion was only of ‘moderate severity’, from 50% to 69%, and the event-free survival rate without repeat coronary intervention was 50%.
