Bioresorbable vascular scaffolds in acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: a prospective multicentre study

Viktor Kočka1, Martin Malý, Petr Toušek

  • 1Cardiocenter, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, University Hospital Kralovske Vinohrady, Srobarova 60, 100 34 Prague 10, Czech Republic.

European Heart Journal
|January 15, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVSs) are feasible and safe for treating acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This study shows excellent procedural outcomes and encouraging early clinical results for BVS implantation in STEMI patients.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Interventional Cardiology
  • Biomaterials Science

Background:

  • Bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVSs) have shown promise in chronic coronary artery disease.
  • Their use in acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has not been extensively studied.
  • This research addresses the gap in understanding BVS safety and efficacy in the STEMI population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the feasibility and safety of BVS implantation during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (p-PCI) in patients with acute STEMI.
  • To assess procedural success and early clinical outcomes of BVS in this patient group.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective, multicentre study involving 142 patients undergoing p-PCI for STEMI.
  • 41 patients met criteria for BVS implantation, with a substudy using optical coherence tomography (OCT) for detailed analysis.
  • Clinical outcomes were compared between the BVS group and a control group with metallic stents.

Main Results:

  • BVS implantation achieved high device success (98%) and restored TIMI 3 flow in 95% of patients.
  • OCT analysis revealed excellent scaffold apposition (1.1% malapposition) and minimal, clinically silent edge dissections (38%).
  • Event-free survival was comparable between the BVS (95%) and control (93%) groups, indicating similar early clinical safety.

Conclusions:

  • BVS implantation is a feasible and safe strategy for patients with acute STEMI undergoing p-PCI.
  • Angiographic and OCT findings demonstrate excellent procedural results.
  • The early clinical outcomes are encouraging, supporting the use of BVS in this acute setting.
Abstract