SES stenting combined with KBT is an effective therapeutic strategy for coronary bifurcation lesions

Purposes : In the era of sirolimus-eluting stents (SES), percutaneous coronary intervention strategies have been altered, especially for coronary bifurcation lesions. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic effectiveness of single-stenting to the main branch with a bare-metal stent (BMS) or an SES combined with kissing-balloon technique (KBT) for coronary bifurcation lesions. Method : From 2003 to 2006, in our hospital, single-stenting with a SES or BMS to main branches was performed for 26 or 56 coronary bifurcation lesions, respectively. Results : Patients and coronary lesion characteristics were similar between the BMS and the SES group. Coronary angiograms at 6-months after stenting revealed that the restenosis rate of the main or side branches in the SES group was significantly lower than that in the BMS group. Interestingly, the restenosis rate of the main and side branches in the SES group combined with KBT was significantly lower compared with that in the BMS group combined with KBT. Conclusion : In view of these findings, SES stenting combined with KBT may be an effective therapeutic strategy for treating coronary bifurcation lesions.