Effects and safety of intracoronary thrombectomy using transradial application of the PercuSurge distal balloon protection system in patients with early or recent myocardial infarction

Background: Distal embolization and no reflow are likely during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on the large infarct-related artery ( IRA), which mostly contains high-burden thrombus formation (HBTF) and plaque burden. Mechanical devices to prevent distal atheroembolism may be of importance for preserving reperfusion and microvascular integrity in IRA. Methods and Results: Between May 2002 and December 2002, transradial application (TRA) of the PercuSurge Guard-Wire(TM) device with 7-french arterial sheath was performed in 39 consecutive patients who experienced early (>12 h and less than or equal to7 days) or recent (>7 days and <14 days) myocardial infarction (MI) associated with large IRA ( vessel size >= 3.5 mm with HBTF; group 1). Between January 2001 and April 2002, 64 consecutive patients who had early or recent MI associated with HBTF in IRA of a vessel size >= 3.5 mm received TRA of PCI with adjunctive tirofiban therapy but without using the adjunctive PercuSurge GuardWire device ( group 2). The angiographic and clinical outcomes of both groups were compared in a chronologically consecutive manner. The procedural success rate and post-PCI myocardial blush grades were significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2 patients ( all p values < 0.05), whereas a combined incidence of vascular and bleeding complications and 30-day major adverse cardiac events ( defined as death, reinfarction and repeated PCI of IRA) were significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1 patients ( all p values < 0.05). Conclusions: Our data suggested that TRA using the PercuSurge GuardWire device during PCI for patients with early or recent MI and HBTF in IRA was safe and feasible. This mechanical device provided more additional benefit to patients in this clinical setting than a combination of conventional PCI and tirofiban therapy. Copyright (C) 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel.