title: Balloon alignment T-stenting for bifurcation coronary artery disease using the sirolimus-eluting stent.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcomes of bifurcation coronary lesions treated with a novel technique called "balloon alignment T-stenting".
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The optimal technique for the treatment of bifurcation coronary disease has not yet been established.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six patients with bifurcation coronary lesions were treated with currently available drug-eluting stent (DES) platforms. This was a pilot study to determine the long-term efficacy of a novel technique, "balloon alignment T-stenting". Based on this technique we performed 6-month anniversary angiography to determine restenosis rates for both main and side branch lesions treated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-six main branches and 27 side branches were treated with this novel technique. Angiographic 6-month follow up was available for all 26 patients treated. There were no postprocedural mortalities and no cases of postprocedural stent thrombosis during the follow-up period. At 6-month anniversary angiography, no evidence of main branch restenosis was seen. However, there were 2 cases of side branch restenosis for a total side branch restenosis rate of 7.4%. Target lesion revascularization for the 26 patients in the study was 7.6%. The total major adverse cardiac event rate for the group as a whole was 15.4%, with 2 periprocedural non-Q-wave myocardial infarctions and 2 target lesions requiring revascularization at 6 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using currently available DES platforms, the data compiled from this small, single-center pilot study suggest that balloon alignment T-stenting may represent a reasonable approach for the treatment of bifurcation coronary artery disease. However, more comprehensive, larger-scale trials will be required to validate these preliminary findings.
authors.affiliation: Scottsdale Heart Group at Scottsdale Healthcare Hospital, 9755 North 90th Street, A-100, Scottsdale, AZ 85259, USA. davidrizik@aol.com
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Rizik
authors.forename: Kevin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Klassen
authors.forename: Denise A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Dowler
authors.forename: Bernard J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Villegas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D020123:Sirolimus