Improved outcome of coronary stenting by utilizing a modified treatment protocol

Coronary stents improve patient outcome, are easy to deploy and are now being utilized very frequently after coronary angioplasty. New protocols have been suggested to overcome the main limitations of stenting, namely subacute stent thrombosis, local vascular complications, and the length of hospitalization. In this report we describe our current results with coronary stenting in 100 patients: we modified our standard protocol and used high pressure noncompliant balloons to expand the stent, added ticlopidine to some of the patients to inhibit platelet activity, and used the transradial approach in some patients to reduce the risk of vascular complications. These results were compared to those obtained in our initial group of 50 patients in whom we used a standard implantation protocol. Subacute thrombosis occurred in one patient in the current group of patients compared to five patients in our early experience (P = 0.026). There was no change in local vascular complications. This preliminary report shows that subacute thrombosis can almost be eliminated by the new stent implantation protocols. Less aggressive anticoagulation and radial artery catheterization can decrease vascular complications.