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Acute occlusion involving the unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) is a clinically catastrophic event, often leading to abrupt and severe circulatory failure, lethal arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death. Although coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is the standard of care for ULMCA disease in patients with stable ischemic heart disease, uncertainty surrounds the optimal revascularization strategy for patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (MI) and ULMCA occlusion who survive to hospitalization, and treatment guidelines in this setting are vague. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is technically feasible in most patients, has the advantage of providing more rapid reperfusion compared with CABG with acceptable short- and long-term outcomes, and is associated with a lower risk of stroke. PCI of the ULMCA should be considered as a viable alternative to CABG for selected patients with MI, including those with ULMCA occlusion and less than Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction flow grade 3, cardiogenic shock, persistent ventricular arrhythmias, and significant comorbidities. The higher risk of target vessel revascularization associated with ULMCA PCI compared with CABG is an acceptable tradeoff given the primary need for rapid reperfusion to enhance survival.

ObjectivesThis study sought to retrospectively appraise the incidence and management of restenosis after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation for unprotected left main (ULM) disease.BackgroundThe promising role of DES for ULM has been reported. However, no detailed data are available on subsequent restenosis.MethodsFrom the total sample of patients with ULM treated with DES, we identified those presenting with angiographic ULM restenosis. The primary end point was the long-term rate of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), that is, death, myocardial infarction (MI), or target lesion revascularization (TLR). We also adjudicated stent thrombosis according to the Academic Research Consortium.ResultsPost-DES restenosis in ULM occurred in 70 of 718 patients (9.7%). Of these, 59 (84.3%) were treated percutaneously (34 [48.6%] with additional DES, 22 [31.4%] with standard or cutting balloons, 2 [2.9%] with rotational atherectomy, and 1 [1.4%] with a bare-metal stent), whereas 7 (10%) patients underwent bypass surgery and 4 (5.7%) were treated medically. In-hospital MACE included no periprocedural MI and only 1 (1.4%) death. After 27.2 +/- 15.4 months, MACE occurred cumulatively in 18 (25.7%) patients, with death in 4 (5.7%), MI in 2 (2.9%), and TLR in 15 (21.4%). Patients treated with medical, interventional, and surgical therapy had the following MACE rates, respectively: 50%, 25.4%, and 14.3%. Definite, probable, and possible stent thrombosis occurred in 0 (0%), 1 (1.4%), and 1 (1.4%) patient, respectively.ConclusionsDES restenosis in the ULM artery can be managed in most cases with a minimally invasive approach, achieving favorable early and late results.

BackgroundPatients who present with myocardial infarction (MI) and unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) disease represent an extremely high-risk subset of patients. ULMCA percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents (DES) in MI patients has not been extensively studied.MethodsIn this retrospective multicenter international registry, we evaluated the clinical outcomes of 62 consecutive patients with MI who underwent ULMCA PCI with DES (23 ST-elevation MI [STEMI] and 39 non-ST-elevation MI [NSTEMI]) from 2002 to 2006.ResultsThe mean age was 70 +/- 12 years. Cardiogenic shock was present in 24%. The mean EuroSCORE was 10 +/- 8. Angiographic success was achieved in all patients. Overall in-hospital major adverse cardiac event (MACE) rate was 10%, mortality was 8%, all due to cardiac deaths from cardiogenic shock, and one patient suffered a periprocedural MI. At 586 +/- 431 days, 18 patients (29%) experienced MACE, 12 patients (19%) died (the mortality rate was 47% in patients with cardiogenic shock), and target vessel revascularization was performed in four patients, all of whom had distal bifurcation involvement (two patients underwent repeat PCI and two patients underwent bypass surgery). There was no additional MI. Two patients had probable stent thrombosis and one had possible stent thrombosis. Diabetes [hazard ratio (HR) 4.22, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.07-17.36), P = 0.04), left ventricular ejection fraction [HR 0.94, 95% CI (0.90-0.98), P = 0.005), and intubation [HR 7.00, 95% CI (1.62-30.21), P = 0.009) were significantly associated with increased mortality.ConclusionsPatients with MI and ULMCA disease represent a very high-risk subgroup of patients who are critically ill. PCI with DES appears to be technically feasible, associated with acceptable long-term outcomes, and a reasonable alternative to surgical revascularization for MI patients with ULMCA disease. Randomized trials are needed to determine the ideal revascularization strategy for these patients.

AimsTo evaluate the occurrence of late and very late stent thrombosis (ST) following elective drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation in unprotected left main coronary artery (LMCA) stenosis in a large multicentre registry.Methods and resultsAll 731 consecutive patients who had sirolimus- or paclitaxel-eluting stent electively implanted in de novo lesions on unprotected LMCA in five centres were included. ST was defined according to Academic Research Consortium definitions. Four (0.5%) patients had a definite ST: three early (two acute and one subacute) and one late ST, no cases of very late definite ST were recorded. All patients survived from the event. Three patients had a probable ST. Therefore, 7/731 (0.95%) patients had a definite or a probable ST and all were on dual antiplatelet therapy at the time of the event. Possible (eight late and 12 very late) ST occurred in 20 (2.7%) patients. At 29.5 ± 13.7 months follow-up, a total of 45 (6.2%) patients had died; 31 (4.2%) of cardiac death. Ninety five (12.9%) patients had a target-vessel and 76 (10.4%) a target-lesion revascularization. Angiographic follow-up was performed in 548 patients (75%): restenosis occurred in 77 (14.1%) patients.ConclusionElective treatment of LMCA stenosis with DES appears safe with a 0.9% incidence of definite and probable ST at 29.5 ± 13.7 months.