Ashit Jain

Morphological effects of coronary balloon angioplasty in vivo assessed by intravascular ultrasound imaging.

BACKGROUND Histological examination of the effects of balloon angioplasty have been described from in vitro experiments and a limited number of pathologic specimens. Intravascular ultrasound imaging permits real time cross-sectional observation of the effect of balloon dilation on the atherosclerotic plaque in vivo. METHODS AND RESULTS The morphological effects of coronary angioplasty were visualized at 66 lesions in 47 patients immediately after balloon dilatation with an intravascular ultrasound imaging catheter. Cross-sectional images were obtained at 30 frames per second as the catheter passed along the length of the artery. Quantitative and qualitative assessments of the dilated atherosclerotic plaque were made from the angiograms and the ultrasound images. Six morphological patterns after angioplasty were appreciated by ultrasound imaging. Type A consists of a linear, partial tear of the plaque from the lumen toward the media (seven lesions); Type B is defined by a split in the plaque that extends to the media (12 lesions); Type C demonstrates a dissection behind the plaque that subtends an arc of up to 180 degrees around the circumference (18 lesions); Type D was a more extensive dissection that encompasses an arc of more than 180 degrees (four lesions); and Type E may be present in either concentric (Type E1, 14 lesions) or eccentric (Type E2, 11 lesions) plaque and is defined as an ultrasound study without any evidence of a fracture or a dissection in the plaque. There was a large amount of residual atheroma in each type of morphology (7.8 +/- 2.9 mm2, 61.6 +/- 15.4% of cross-sectional area); there was no difference, however, in lumen or atheroma cross-sectional area among these six patterns. There was a good correlation between ultrasound and angiography for the recognition of a dissection. Calcification was seen in only 14% of lesions on angiography, whereas most lesions (83%) revealed calcification on ultrasound imaging. As determined by intravascular ultrasound, calcified plaque was more likely to fracture in response to balloon dilatation than noncalcified plaque (p less than 0.01). Thirteen of 66 lesions (20%) developed clinical and angiographic restenosis. Restenosis was more likely to occur when the original dilatation left a concentric plaque without a fracture or dissection (Type E1, 50% incidence) compared with a mean restenosis rate of 12% in the remaining morphological patterns (p = 0.053). CONCLUSIONS Intravascular ultrasound provides a more complete quantitative and qualitative description of plaque geometry and composition than angiography after balloon angioplasty. In addition, intravascular ultrasound identified a subset of atherosclerotic plaque that has a higher incidence of restenosis. This information could be used prospectively to consider other therapeutic options in this subset. Intravascular ultrasound provides a method to describe the effects of angioplasty that will be useful in comparing future coronary intervention studies.

Predictors of restenosis: A morphometric and quantitative evaluation by intravascular ultrasound

Despite advances in catheter-based interventional techniques, restenosis remains a major complication of angioplasty. Recently, intravascular ultrasound imaging (IVUS) has provided new insight into plaque composition and geometric distribution inside the vessel. To investigate if IVUS-defined parameters can predict restenosis in patients after coronary angioplasty, we performed IVUS in 33 patients (33 lesions) after balloon angioplasty (n = 25) or directional atherectomy (n = 8). Qualitative analysis included assessment of plaque composition, plaque eccentricity, plaque fracture, and presence of dissection. In addition, minimal luminal diameter, percent diameter stenosis, percent area stenosis, plaque burden, and elastic recoil were quantitatively analyzed. Follow-up data were obtained 1, 2, and 6 months after angioplasty and were available for 30 patients. Angiographic restenosis occurred in 11 patients (group 1), and no restenosis occurred in 19 patients (group 2) by clinical (n = 10) or angiographic (n = 9) assessment. Plaque fracture was noted in 30% of group 1 patients and 74% of group 2 patients (p = 0.04). Major dissections were more frequent in group I than in group II (78% vs 10%, p = 0.009). Of the quantitative parameters analyzed, plaque burden was significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2 (0.50 +/- 0.05 vs 0.34 +/- 0.05, p = 0.0001). In 78% of the patients with plaque burden of > 0.40, restenosis developed. Thus, of the various parameters analyzed, the absence of plaque fracture, the existence of a major dissection, and greater plaque burden were associated with increased incidence of restenosis. Our results indicate that IVUS can identify a subset of patients in whom restenosis is likely to develop. Information about the morphologic features of the atheroma and its composition may be used to modify the interventional strategy and thus optimize lumen size and possibly reduce the chance of restenosis.

Assessment of intracoronary morphology in cardiac transplant recipients by angioscopy and intravascular ultrasound

Percutaneous coronary angioscopy and intravascular ultrasound are sensitive intravascular imaging methods for detecting early changes in coronary morphology in cardiac transplant recipients. To compare the 2 imaging modalities, 29 consecutive cardiac transplant recipients underwent percutaneous coronary angioscopy and intravascular ultrasound during annual coronary angiography. Surface morphology, presence of plaque, and percent area stenosis were determined with each procedure. Percutaneous coronary angioscopy was more sensitive in detecting the presence of plaque and stenosis than was coronary angiography (plaque: 79 vs 10% [p < 0.001]; and stenosis: 24 vs 3% [p < 0.01]). Intravascular ultrasound was also more sensitive in detecting plaque (76 vs 10%; p < 0.001) and stenosis (45 vs 3%; p < 0.001) than was coronary angiography. Although both angioscopy and ultrasound identified atherosclerotic plaque, only percutaneous coronary angioscopy could show luminal surface morphology and pigmentation of the plaque. Conversely, ultrasound could detect calcification and presence of intimal thickening, and was more accurate in assessing the severity of stenosis (45 vs 24%; p < 0.01). In conclusion, percutaneous coronary angioscopy and intravascular ultrasound, in conjunction, provide information not only regarding the appearance of the luminal surface, but also quantitative information regarding the structure and extent of the disease in the coronary artery wall.

Prospective coronary angioscopy assessment of allograft coronary artery disease in human cardiac transplant recipients

Annual angiographic assessment to determine the presence or progression of allograft coronary artery disease (CAD) has been unable to modify the natural history of this disease. Coronary angioscopy is a sensitive method to detect the early presence of coronary artery disease and in a retrospective analysis severity of CAD by angioscopy correlated with the time since transplantation. The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate progression of coronary artery disease over a one year period in 40 cardiac transplant recipients. The progression of coronary artery disease as assessed by angioscopy is directly related to time after transplantation and therefore angioscopy may be the method of choice for detection and evaluation of therapeutic regimens to control allograft coronary artery disease.

Multifiber coronary laser angioplasty with a holmium:YAG laser

Percutaneous coronary laser angioplasty with a multifiber catheter coupled to a pulsed holmium:YAG (2.1 micrometers ) laser was performed on seven lesions in six patients who were candidates for elective coronary angioplasty. Following passage of a guidewire across the lesion the laser catheter was advanced to the lesion. The laser was used in the free running mode with 250 microsecond(s) ec pulses and delivering 50 mJ to 400 mJ per pulse at 5 Hz. Two sizes of laser catheters were used 1.6 mm and 2.0 mm in diameter. The 1.6 mm diameter catheter delivered fluences ranging from 335 mJ/mm2 to 2,680 mJ/mm2 and the 2.0 mm multifiber catheter delivered fluences of 219 mJ/mm2 to 1,754 mJ/mm2. Successful recanalization was obtained in every case. The average stenosis reduction following laser angioplasty alone was from a baseline of 96.6 +/- 3.5% to 38.6 +/- 24.1% (p < 0.01). Six of the seven lesions required adjunctive therapy with other angioplasty devices for further reduction of the stenosis to 12.9 +/- 4.9%. There were no complications specifically related to the laser angioplasty procedure. Two patients, however, did have abrupt occlusion of the treated artery following adjunctive angioplasty treatment. In this small series of patients we are encouraged by the ability of this laser angioplasty system to successfully recanalize coronary artery stenoses in a safe and effective manner. Larger numbers of patients are required to confirm these results and further investigate the clinical utility of this device.

Percutaneous coronary angioscopy during coronary angioplasty: clinical findings and implications

Percutaneous coronary angioscopy was successfully performed with a steerable, balloon-tipped microangioscope in 36 of 43 patients undergoing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. The design of the device, technique of performing angioscopy, reasons for failure to image successfully, angioscopy findings, and clinical implications will be discussed.