Intracoronary beta-irradiation with a rhenium-188-filled balloon catheter: a randomized trial in patients with de novo and restenotic lesions.
BACKGROUND
Restenosis requiring reintervention is the main limitation of coronary angioplasty. Intracoronary irradiation reduces neointimal proliferation. We studied the efficacy of a self-centering liquid rhenium-188-filled balloon catheter for coronary beta-brachytherapy.


RESULTS
After successful coronary angioplasty with or without stenting, 225 patients (71% de novo lesions) were randomly assigned to receive 22.5 Gy intravascular beta-irradiation in 0.5-mm tissue depth (n=113) or to receive no additional intervention (n=112). Clinical and procedural data did not differ between the groups except a higher rate of stenting in the control group (63%) compared with the rhenium-188 group (45%, P<0.02). After 6 months of follow-up, late loss was significantly lower in the irradiated group compared with the control group, both of the target lesion (0.11+/-0.54 versus 0.69+/-0.81 mm, P<0.0001) and of the total segment (0.22+/-0.67 versus 0.70+/-0.82 mm, P<0.0001). This was also evident in the subgroup of patients with de novo lesions and independent from stenting. Binary restenosis rates were significantly lower at the target lesion (6.3% versus 27.5%, P<0.0001) and of the total segment (12.6% versus 28.6%, P<0.007) after rhenium-188 brachytherapy compared with the control group. Target vessel revascularization rate was significantly lower in the rhenium-188 (6.3%) compared with the control group (19.8%, P=0.006).


CONCLUSIONS
Intracoronary beta-brachytherapy with a rhenium-188 liquid-filled balloon is safe and efficiently reduces restenosis and revascularization rates after coronary angioplasty.
Höher
Martin
M
Department of Internal Medicine II, University of Ulm, Robert-Koch-Strasse-8, 89081 Ulm, Germany. martin.hoeher@medizin.uni-ulm.de
Wöhrle
Jochen
J
Wohlfrom
Markus
M
Kamenz
Joachim
J
Nusser
Thorsten
T
Grebe
Olaf C
OC
Hanke
Hartmut
H
Kochs
Matthias
M
Reske
Sven N
SN
Hombach
Vinzenz
V
Kotzerke
Jörg
J
D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000295:instrumentation; D001610:Beta Particles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000628:therapy; D023903:Coronary Restenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000532:radiotherapy; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011868:Radioisotopes; D012211:Rhenium; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014654:Vascular Patency
D011868:Radioisotopes; D012211:Rhenium