title: Management of intracoronary thrombosis complicating percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.
abstract: With technological advances in equipment and increased experience of operators, the success rates of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) now exceed 90%. However, acute periprocural occlusion continues to complicate approximately 6% of all procedures, and many of these occlusions are due to intracoronary (IC) thrombus. Patients at highest risk for this complication include those with acute ischemic syndromes or with angiographically apparent thrombus. These individuals may be candidates for the use of prolonged heparin infusions prior to dilatation, intracoronary thrombolytic therapy, or monoclonal antibody directed against the platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor. All patients undergoing PTCA should receive adequate antiplatelet therapy, including aspirin, and heparin with dosing monitored by activated clotting times (ACT). In addition, some recommend the use of ionic contrast material. When IC thrombus accumulates following intervention, initial therapy should include IC nitroglycerin followed by a combination of redilatation and IC urokinase infusion. Prolonged balloon inflations may be useful, particularly with the use of autoperfusion catheters. Platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists may prove to be beneficial in this situation as well. If the patient's clinical status deteriorates in spite of these measures, emergency coronary artery bypass graft surgery may be required.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, University of Utah Medical Center, Salt Lake City 84132, USA.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Boston
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malouf
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Barry
mesh_terms: D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003328:Coronary Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006493:Heparin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D006493:Heparin; D001241:Aspirin