Influence of intimal dissection on restenosis after successful coronary angioplasty.

Abstract

We studied 986 patients who underwent follow-up angiography after successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) to determine the influence of uncomplicated intimal dissection on restenosis rate. Angiographic evidence of intimal dissection after PTCA was present in 248 patients or 25%. After a mean follow-up time of 7 +/- 5 months (SD) the restenosis rate in patients without intimal dissection was 30% compared with 24% in patients with intimal dissection (p = .08). Patients with available transstenotic pressure gradients were divided according to the hemodynamic result into two subgroups: those with final gradients at the conclusion of PTCA of 15 mm Hg or less (n = 638) and those with gradients greater than 15 mm Hg (n = 244). Patients with intimal dissection had a significantly lower restenosis rate than patients without intimal dissection if the final gradient was 15 mm Hg or less (19% vs 28%; p less than .05). If the final gradient was greater than 15 mm Hg, the presence or absence of...