Slow and Steady May Win This Race

This retrospective cohort study compares two strategies of stent delivery balloon inflation: inflation for 30 sec and longer as needed to stabilize the balloon pressure for 30 sec at the desired pressure, versus conventional fast inflation/fast deflation of the stent balloon The experimental technique decreased target vessel revascularization by about 50% as assessed by logistic regression and propensity analyses The investigators' recommendation to routinely use their prolonged inflation protocol is supported by six other studies over the past decade demonstrating that long stent balloon inflation produces better outcomes than does short inflation.