Clinical and angiographic results of coronary artery stenting using PURA-VARIO (PUVA) stents.
BACKGROUND
Many different stent types are available for intracoronary placement. No clinical trial has demonstrated clearly the superiority of any stent design over another.


METHODS
This study was designed to analyze clinical and angiographic results after using intracoronary PURA-VARIO (Devon Medical, Hamburg, Germany) (PUVA) stents. A total of 306 implanted stents were investigated in a series of 217 unselected patients (61.2 +/- 10.7 years, 74.3% male). Stenting was performed electively and during acute coronary syndromes. Stents were manually mounted on angioplasty balloons and expanded in the target lesion. Angiographic measurements were carried out by quantitative coronary angiography.


RESULTS
Stenting was successful in 214/217 patients (98.8%). During hospitalization (median three days) 206 patients (94.9%) were free from adverse cardiac events. Stent thrombosis occurred in five patients (2.3%), Q-wave infarction in one (0.5%) and urgent percutaneous target vessel revascularization in four (1.8%). Follow-up angiography, performed in 170 patients (78.3%) showed a restenosis (>/=50% diameter stenosis) in 44/170 patients (25.9%), requiring angioplasty in 29 (17.2%). A surgical revascularization was recommended in 13 patients (7.6%). One patient died during follow-up from an unknown cause; however, sudden cardiac death was most likely.


CONCLUSIONS
PUVA stents are characterized by a high level of safety and efficacy. Clinical and angiographic results are comparable with those of other approved stents.
Germing
Alfried
A
Department of Cardiology and Angiology, University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany. alfried.germing@ruhr-uni-bochum.de
Lindstaedt
Michael
M
Machraoui
Abderrahman
A
von Dryander
Stefan
S
Grewe
Peter
P
Bojara
Waldemar
W
Lawo
Thomas
T
Lemke
Bernd
B
D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000009:adverse effects; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy*; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011701:PUVA Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors