Occlusion of secondary branches after angioplasty of the left descending coronary artery
Araújo, E.C.; Sousa, A.G.; Nicolela Júnior, E.L.; Cano, M.N.; Maldonado, G.; Feres, F.; Mattos, L.A.; Pinto, I.M.; Tanajura, L.F.; Fontes, V.F.
Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia 54(5): 313-317
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0066-782X PMID: 2288518 Document Number: 350243
To evaluate the incidence and clinical presentation of the occlusion of such secondary branches in patients with single vessel coronary artery disease in the left anterior descending artery, who underwent a first elective and successful PTCA. Two hundred and thirteen side branches of 121 patients considered to be at risk. They were divided into group I (GI-85 side branches, 39.9%), if they originated from the atherosclerotic site; and group II (GII-120 side branches, 61.5%), if their origin would be involved during the balloon inflation. In the GI there were 54 septal branches and 31 diagonal branches, and 36& had angiographic evidence of ostium disease. GII was constituted by 77 septal and 51 diagonal branches, and 7.8% of them had evidence of ostium disease. Seven side branches (3.3%) at risk occluded, 4 from GI (4.7%) and 3 (2.3%) from GII. As for the clinical presentation, 57% of them had angina, where as 28.6% showed minor abnormalities in the ECG. No patient elevated its serum CK-MB, and silent occlusion occurred in 43% of them. Occlusion of side branches is a low incidence phenomenon, which happens more often in septal branches with ostium disease that originates from the atherosclerotic site; that about half of the patient had silent occlusion (43%) or mild ischemic manifestations.