Clinical application of coronary angioscopic examination.

Background: The coronary artery is examined with angioscopy in addition to coronary arteriogram to evaluate the potential clinical benefit of angioscopy. Changes in the coronary artery can be visualized which might not have been recognized before.
Methods: Coronary angioscopy was applied with Inoue coronary angioscope system, in cases with coronary artery disease. In case of angioplasty, a similar procedure was repeated after intervention.
Results: Twenty-one cases of coronary artery disease were examined with angioscopy. Successful visualization was obtained in 15 of them, with the rate to be 71.7%. The coronary angioscopy provided useful information about the coronary tree such as severity of atherosclerosis and integrity of endothelium and intraluminal thrombosis. Angioscopic change was even more remarkable after angioplastic intervention. Almost all cases had intimal abrasion. Damage to atheroma was observed in 77% of the cases, 38.5% had an intimal flap on dilatation site, and more thrombi were observed.
Conclusions: Coronary angioscopic examination is valuable in the observation of coronary atherosclerosis and is especially helpful to evaluate cases of coronary angioplasty and to survey the results of therapy and severity of damage in the management of coronary artery stenosis.