Evaluation of post-dilatation on longitudinal stent deformation and postprocedural stent malapposition in the left main artery by optical coherence tomography (OCT): an in vitro study

Abstract

Abstract Background The diameter of the ostial and proximal left main coronary artery can be greater than 5.0 mm. However, the diameters of the mostly available coronary drug-eluting stents (DESs) are ≤ 4.0 mm. Whether high-pressure dilatation can increase the diameter of stents from 4.0 to 5.0 mm and whether post-dilatation leads to longitudinal stent deformation (LSD) of 4.0-mm-diameter stents have rarely been studied. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate LSD and stent malapposition of six types of commercially available 4.0-mm-diameter stents in China in a 5.0-mm-diameter artificial blood vessel model by optical coherence tomography (OCT) in vitro. Methods The left main coronary artery was simulated by a truncated cone-shaped silicone tube. The internal diameters were 4.0 mm at one end of the silicone tube and 5.0 mm at the other end. Six different types of coronary stents widely used in China were selected for this study. Each stent was respectively implanted into the simulated blood vessel and dilated to a diameter of 4.2 mm according to the stent-balloon pressure compliance table. The stents were subjected to post-dilatation with a 5.0 × 15-mm noncompliant balloon. The LSD ratio of the longitudinal axis of each stent and stent malapposition were measured through OCT, and any fractures of the stents were determined. Results None of the six types of stents fractured following post-dilatation. The longitudinal axes of the BuMA and Excrossal stents were slightly shortened, while the other stents were elongated after high-pressure post-dilatation. All stents expanded to a diameter of 5.0 mm without incomplete stent apposition, except for the Nano Plus stent, which remained malapposed after high-pressure post-dilatation. Conclusion All 4.0-mm-diameter stents can be expanded to a diameter of 5.0 mm by noncompliant balloon post-dilatation without stent strut fracture. Most stents were found to be well apposed after high-pressure post-dilatation. However, LSD was observed after post-balloon dilatation. Stent malapposition might be positively correlated with the percentage change in stent length.