Effect of a distal protection device on epicardial blood flow and myocardial perfusion in primary percutaneous coronary intervention.
OBJECTIVE
The beneficial effect of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been well established, but there is the problem of no-reflow phenomenon which is an adverse prognostic factor in primary PCI. In the present study the effect of a distal protection device (PercuSurge GuardWire; GW) on epicardial blood flow and myocardial perfusion was evaluated.


RESULTS
Patients with AMI were randomly divided into 2 groups, the GW and the control groups. The GW group included 52 patients with AMI who underwent primary PCI with GW protection and the control group included 60 patients who underwent primary PCI without GW protection. Epicardial blood flow in the infarct-related artery (IRA) and myocardial perfusion were evaluated according to the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow grade and the myocardial blush grade (MBG). We found TIMI score of 3 was obtained significantly more frequently in the GW group (96%) than in the control group (80%). The MBG score of 3 was obtained also significantly greater in the GW group (65%) than in the control group (33%).


CONCLUSIONS
Primary PCI with GW protection can significantly improve epicardial blood flow and myocardial perfusion.
Department of Cardiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China. zhoubq@hotmail.com
Bin-quan
BQ
Zhou
Seung-jea
SJ
Tahk
D000792:Angiography; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000601:surgery; D015425:Myocardial Reperfusion / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D010477:Perfusion