Short and intermediate term follow up of angina patients with true coronary bifurcation lesion treated by stenting the main branch only with or without initial balloon dilatation of the side branch

Abstract

Independent of stenting strategy, the procedural success rates were high, and the rate of major adverse cardiac events and the rate of angiographic > 50% stenosis were low in both treatment groups. 2. Postprocedure minimal lumen diameter was increased in all parts of the bifurcation in the side branch stented group, but this difference did not translate into a lower rate of restenosis at follow-up. 3. Most > 50% stenosis at follow-up were seen in the side branch, and there was a trend to less side branch > 50% stenosis in the side branch stented patients. 4. The technique of stenting of the main vessel and optional stenting of the side branch can be recommended as the routine bifurcation stenting technique. 5. However, the results do not contradict the use of a complex bifurcation strategy in special cases.