[Short-term results of rescue angioplasty in patients with acute myocardial infarction and failure of thrombolysis treatment].

Unlabelled: The present study is aimed at describing the short-term assessment of clinical and angiographic results in patients with acute myocardial infarction treated with rescue percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (RPTCA).
Methods: We reviewed retrospectively, from January 2001 to July 2004, the interventional procedures performed in patients with coronary heart disease. From a total of 3,258 patients we selected 32 (0.98%) with acute myocardial infarction and failure of thrombolysis treatment, which were treated with RPTCA to relief the symptoms. Average age was 63 years (range 47-79), there were 24 men (75%); hypertension in 29 (90.6%); diabetes mellitus in 18 (56.3%); currently smoking 24 (75%); dyslipidemia in 11 (34.4%); unstable angina in 9 (28.1%); previous myocardial infarction in 2 (6.3%). The area related to the infarction was anterior and lateral in 14 (43.8%), anteroseptal in 6 (18.8%), postero-inferior in 5 (15.6%) with electric and hemodynamic involvement in 4 (12.5%), lateral in 1 (3.1%). Thrombolysis treatment was delivered in 3.19 hours (range 2-7 hours) with streptokinase in 19 (59.4%) and rTPA in 13 (40.6%). The evaluated serum marker was CPK-MB with the highest level of 348 +/- 240 U/L. Killip Kimball (KK) class was established as follows: KKI in 5 (15.6%), II in 16 (50%), III in 5 (15.6%), and IV in 6 (18.8%). Patients with cardiogenic shock were treated with intra-aortic balloon counter-pulsation.
Results: Time between symptoms and arrival to the cath lab was 11 hours (range 6-24 hours). TIMI flow was: TIMI 0 in 16 (50%). TIMI 1 in 10 (31.2%), TIMI 2 in 6 (18.8%). The number of vessels with a significant lesion was 1.9 (range 1-4). Stents were placed in 27 (84.3%) patients. Angiographic success postangioplasty was achieved in 24 (75%); there were 9 complications (28.1%), no reflow in 7 (21.8%), coronary dissection in 1 (3.1%). Six patients died (18.7%) and 4 of them (12.5%) were in cardiogenic shock.
Conclusion: RPT-CA is a high-risk procedure, being an acceptable treatment option for patients with thrombolysis failure.