Acute, total occlusion of the left main stem: coronary intervention options, outcomes, and recommendations

István Ferenc Édes1, Zoltán Ruzsa1, Árpád Lux1

  • 1Semmelweis University, Heart and Vascular Center, Budapest, Hungary.

Insights

Acute coronary syndrome patients with unprotected left main stem occlusion face high mortality, especially after CPR. Emergency percutaneous coronary intervention offers successful revascularization with acceptable long-term outcomes for survivors.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Interventional Cardiology
  • Acute Coronary Syndromes

Background:

  • Unprotected left main stem (uLMo) occlusion in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a critical event associated with high mortality from sudden cardiac death and cardiogenic shock.
  • Limited comprehensive data exists on emergent treatment strategies for uLMo in ACS.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the outcomes of emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients presenting with ACS and uLMo.
  • To assess in-hospital mortality, successful coronary anatomy salvage, and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at 90 days.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of data from 23 patients undergoing primary PCI for uLMo.
  • Primary endpoint: in-hospital death. Secondary endpoints: successful coronary salvage and 90-day MACE.

Main Results:

  • Approximately 40% of patients presented after successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
  • Successful LM stenting achieved in ~90% of cases; cardiogenic shock (CS) present in >85%.
  • In-hospital mortality was 56%, predominantly in patients requiring prior CPR; 6-month MACE rates were 8.7%.

Conclusions:

  • ACS with uLMo frequently presents with preceding CPR and severe cardiogenic shock.
  • While coronary salvage via PCI is often successful, overall mortality remains high, particularly for patients requiring prior CPR.
  • Survivors of uLMo treated with PCI demonstrate acceptable 6-month MACE rates.
Abstract

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