Protection of side-branches in coronary lesions with a new stent design.

Side-branches often complicate stenting of coronary lesions. We investigated a new stent, characterized by four wider cells in its center, which can be expanded up to 3.5 mm and which are meant to be placed over the ostium of a major side-branch. Forty-seven consecutive patients with lesions involving 48 side-branches received one side-branch stent each. Stent deployment was successful in all patients. Twenty-five side-branches needed additional treatment. Nineteen side-branches received a PTCA, and 6 additional side-branches were stented. Postinterventional CK-(creatine kinase) elevation was observed in 3 patients (6%). One additional patient was sent for CABG on the day of the procedure due to loss of a stent intended to be placed into the side-branch. The investigated stent proved to be a safe and effective tool to treat this complex subgroup of stenoses in the presence of favorably preserved flow in the side-branches, with a low incidence of periprocedural complications.