n the history of percutaneous coronary intervention, drug-eluting stents (DES) are recognized as revolutionary technologies with their unique ability to provide both mechanical and biological solutions simultaneously to the target lesion. While the clinical success of DES depends on these 2 properties, the ability of the operator to properly deploy the device is also of utmost importance. Although contrast angiography remains the clinical standard for coronary imaging, this conventional method provides very little information about in vivo device properties and their effects on the arterial wall. In contrast, catheter-based imaging tools, such as intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and intracoronary angioscopy can offer unique insights into novel interventional technologies through direct assessment of the device and the treated vessel. This article will review our multimodality insights into current DES, focusing on performance, safety, and an optimal deployment technique.
Performance Characteristics
Neointimal HyperplasiaSpatial Distribution IVUS observations from clinical experience with antiproliferative DES have shown a striking inhibition of in-stent neointimal hyperplasia. In addition to the absolute amount of neointimal hyperplasia, significant differences can be observed in its spatial distribution within conventional bare metal stents (BMS) vs current DES.In BMS, several IVUS studies reported an association between the native plaque burden and subsequent neointimal hyperplasia in terms of both circumferential and longitudinal distributions within the stent. 1 On average, across most patients, a wide individual variation in native disease along the target segment generally results in a relatively even neointimal distribution throughout the stent.
Drug-Eluting Stents Insights From Invasive Imaging TechnologiesYasuhiro Honda, MD Drug-eluting stents (DES) represent a revolutionary technology in their unique ability to provide both mechanical and biological solutions simultaneously to the target lesion. As a result of biological effects from the pharmacological agents and interaction of DES components with the arterial wall, considerable differences exist between DES and conventional bare metal stents (BMS), yet some of the old lessons learned in the BMS era remain clinically significant. In this context, contrast angiography provides very little information about in vivo device properties and their biomechanical effects on the arterial wall. In contrast, current catheter-based imaging tools, such as intravascular ultrasound, optical coherence tomography, and intracoronary angioscopy can offer unique insights into DES through direct assessment of the device and treated vessel in the clinical setting. This article reviews these insights from current DES with particular focus on performance and safety characteristics as well as discussing an optimal deployment technique, based upon findings obtained through the use of the invasive imaging technologies. On the contrary, if the...