[Intravascular ultrasonic evaluation of poststenting atherosclerotic plaque redistribution and lumen reduction at the stent edge: does stent length matter?].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the association between poststenting atherosclerotic plaque redistribution/lumen reduction at the stent edge and stent length.


METHODS
Seventy stents were implanted to 47 patients with stable or unstable angina and 33 stents were < or = 18 mm and 37 stents were > 18 mm. Intravascular ultrasound analysis was performed on proximal stent edge, stent area and distal stent edge. Lumen area (LA) and vascular area (VA) were measured and lumen volume (LV) and vascular volume (VV) were calculated on the three segments. Vascular wall volume (WV) was calculated as VV-LV, volume of plaque redistribution = poststenting WV-prestenting WV.


RESULTS
Compared to prestenting, poststenting LV significantly decreased, VV remained unchanged and WV significantly increased at proximal and distal edges of < or = 18 mm group and at proximal edge of > 18 mm group, suggesting reduced lumen due to plaque distribution. At distal edge of > 18 mm group, poststenting LV, VV and WV all equally significantly increased therefore the lumen was not affected by plaque distribution.


CONCLUSIONS
The poststenting lumen changes due to plaque redistribution were associated with stent length, lumen reduced at proximal and distal edge of short stents and proximal edge of long stents but not at the distal edge of long stents.
Wang
Xiao-fei
XF
Department of Cardiology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin 300192, China. wangxiaofei@medmail.com.cn
Lu
Cheng-zhi
CZ
Xia
Da-sheng
DS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D023903:Coronary Restenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015607:Stents; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional