Introduction and objectives:

There are few data on the utility of drug-coated balloons (DCB) for the side branch treatment of bifurcated lesions. Our objective was to determine the long-term effectiveness of such device in this scenario.

Methods:

Retrospective-prospective registry of all such lesions treated with DCB (paclitaxel coating) at our unit from 2018 until present day with clinical follow-up including a record of adverse events.

Results:

A total of 56 lesions from 55 patients were included. The main demographic characteristics were mean age, 66.2 ± 11.3; and/or women, 27.3%; hypertension, 67.3%; dyslipidemia, 83.6%, and diabetes, 32.7%. The most common causes according to the coronary angiography were non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome and stable angina. The main characteristics of the lesions were the location (circumflex-obtuse marginal, 19.6%; left anterior descending-diagonal, 64.3%; left main-circumflex, 8.9%; posterior descending-posterolateral trunk, 7.1%. The Medina classification was 1-1-1 37.5% of the times, and 1-1-0, 19.6% of the times. The rate of in-stent restenotic lesions was 32.1%. Procedural characteristics: radial access, 100%; side branch (SB) and main branch (MB) predilatation, 83.9% and 58.9%, respectively; MB stenting, 71.4%; POT technique, 35.7%; final kissing, 48.2%; optical coherence tomography/intravascular ultrasound, 7.1%. Procedural success was achieved in 98.2% of the cases. The median follow-up was 12 months. The all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction and lesion thrombosis, and target lesion revascularization rates were 3.7%, 0%, and 3.6%, respectively.

Conclusions:

SB treatment with DCB in selected bifurcation lesions is safe and highly effective with a long-term success rate of 96.4%. Very large studies are still required to compare this strategy to SB conservative approach, and determine its optimal treatment.

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