Long-Term Clinical Outcomes after Treatment with Excimer Laser Coronary Atherectomy for In-Stent Restenosis of Drug-Eluting Stent

Excimer laser coronary atherectomy (ELCA) has been used for the treatment of complex percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) such as in-stent restenosis (ISR). However, little information was provided about the clinical outcomes after treatment with ELCA for ISR of drug-eluting stents (DES). This study aimed to investigate the long-term clinical outcomes after PCI with ELCA for ISR of DES. A total of 81 consecutive patients with 87 lesions who underwent PCI for ISR of DES were included. Patients were classified into a PCI with ELCA group (23 patients with 24 lesions) and a PCI without ELCA group (58 patients with 63 lesions). The major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were evaluated. The mean duration of clinical follow-up was 29.8 +/- 11.6 months. The incidences of diffuse restenosis and AHA/ACC type B2 or C lesion in the PCI with ELCA group were higher than in the PCI without ELCA group. Quantitative coronary angiography showed the acute luminal gain in the PCI with ELCA group was greater than in the PCI without ELCA group (1.64 +/- 0.48 mm versus 1.26 +/- 0.42 mm, P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in all-cause death, myocardial infarction, or target lesion revascularization between the 2 groups. Multivariate analysis due to a Cox proportional-hazards model showed that multivessel disease was an independent predictor of MACE (hazard ratio 3.05, 95% confidence interval 1.22 to 7.61, P = 0.02). ELCA was effective as an atherectomy device for lumen enlargement and optimal lesion preparation. Even though ELCA was used for ISR of DES in significantly more complex lesions, the long-term clinical outcomes were favorable and similar.