Is direct stent implantation without predilatation safe? Acute and long-term outcome.

Direct stenting could potentially lead to a reduction in dissections, time, and restenosis at 6-month follow-up. Using the premounted Palmaz-Schatz Crown stent elective stenting was performed without predilatation in 61 consecutive patients who were compared with a control group of provisional stenting. All patients underwent clinical and angiographic follow-up at 6 months. Direct stenting was successful in 81% of patients. In 16% of the patients predilatation was needed. In 3% the stent could not be implanted despite predilatation. Stent dislodgment occurred in 2% of patients, without embolization. Six-month angiographic follow-up was performed in 51 (84%) of 61 patients. In the direct stenting group the mean preprocedural minimal luminal diameter (MLD) increased from 0.96 +/- 0.47 to 3.09 +/- 0.54 mm directly after the procedure. At 6-month follow-up the MLD measured 2.32 +/- 0.79 mm. In the provisional stenting group the mean MLD increased from 0.92 +/- 0.51 to 2.44 +/- 0.58 mm and was 1.84 +/- 0.70 mm at 6-month follow-up. Restenosis, defined as a diameter stenosis > 50%, occurred in 8% of the direct stenting group compared with 28% in the provisional stenting group (P < 0.001). Direct coronary stent implantation can be attempted safely and efficaciously. The risk of stent loss is low. The initial and long-term angiographic results are significantly better as compared with provisional stenting. The risk of restenosis is significantly lower.