Four years Follow-up Results of Patients Who Had Wiktor Stents and No Restenosis in the First Six Months

Restenosis after conventional percu taneo us transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) occurs mainly in the first six months. Data are sparse about the time course of restenosis after Wiktor coronary stent implantations. Some studies reported that restenosis after coronary stenting occurs in the same period of time when compared to that of PTCA. There are also contradictory opinions suggesting coronary stenting could defer the time course of restenosis. Studies reporting long term outcomes of coronary stenting with Wiktor stents are laking. The aim of our study was to find the long term elinical and angiographical outcomes (4-5 years) of Wiktor coronary stents which had no restenosis in the first six months after coronary stenting. Our study enrolled 66 patients (59 male, average age 54 ± ll years) with Wiktor coronary stents which were implanted between June 1995 and December I 996 in our institute and had no restenosis in the sixmonths' follow-up coronary angiography. In these cases performed a second angiography was after a duration of 44±14 months and in-stent restenosis was examined. A new restenosis rate and targer lesion revascularisation rate were 6.1% and 4.5%, respectively. A new lesion (>50% diameter stenosis) different than the target Iesion was found in 25.8% of cases. A PTCA and CABG procedures were performed in 13.6% and 7.6% of cases, respectively. Revascularisation rate for the non-target lesion was 21.2%. There was no new significant stenotic coronary lesions in patients who developed restenosis beyond 6 months period. Our data showed that restenosis occurs essentially in the first 6 months in patients with Wiktor coronary stents. Due to progression of atherosclerosis, nontarger lesion revascularisation rate was considerably high (2 1.2%).