Haziness on Coronary Angiogram After Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty Evaluated with Angioscopy

Abstract

Coronary angiograms obtained after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty are often hazy due to uneven distribution of contrast medium at the angioplasty site. In this study, structural changes resulting in haziness after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty were identified angioscopically. The affected coronary arteries of 35 patients who underwent successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty were examined with angioscopy. Coronary angioscopic examination of the sites subjected to percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty revealed large surface disruptions in 17 cases, small surface disruptions in four cases, and thrombi in 24 cases. Angiographic haziness was recognized in 24 of 35 patients after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. Haziness on angiography was more significant in patients who exhibited large surface disruption (88% vs 50%, p < 0.05), and was significantly greater in patients who exhibited white thrombus (100% vs 56%, p < 0.05). Moreover, it appears that percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty-induced large surface disruption and white thrombus likely play an important role in increasing haziness.