title: Safety, feasibility, and six-month outcomes of a systematic strategy of direct coronary stenting by a transradial approach in patients with single-vessel disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Strategies for percutaneous coronary intervention are continuously evolving, in order to reduce complications and to warrant better immediate and long-term outcomes. We sought to evaluate the safety, feasibility, and long-term outcomes of a systematic strategy of coronary stenting without predilation (direct stenting) via a transradial approach for single-vessel procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stenting was performed with Snapper stent and wide inner-lumen, preformed, guiding catheters; 118 minimally-selected patients (59% of all single-vessel procedures performed at our center during the study period) were enrolled: among them 39% presented for acute coronary syndromes, 28% were under glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor treatment, and 10% had a poor left ventricular function; 130 lesions were treated (1.1 stents/lesion): 53% were type B2/C, 8% longer than 20 mm, and 16% on bifurcations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The transradial approach was successful in 96% of cases; 7% required predilation. The immediate angiographic and clinical success rates were 100 and 98% respectively. No bleeding complications occurred when the transradial approach was successful. At 6 months, the mortality, major adverse events, recurrent ischemia, and target lesion revascularization rates were 0, 14, 15, and 10% respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A systematic strategy of direct stenting via a transradial approach for single-vessel procedures seems safe, feasible, and efficacious both immediately, and at 6 months of follow-up, even when treating complex lesions and/or high-risk patients.
authors.affiliation: Cardio Thoracic Department, University of Pisa, Italy. gioamor@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Amoroso
authors.forename: Ugo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Limbruno
authors.forename: Anna Sonia
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Petronio
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferrali
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ciabatti
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Carlo
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rossini
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mariani
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D003323:Coronary Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D012449:Safety; D015607:Stents; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome