Outcome After Long-segment Stenting With Everolimus-eluting Bioresorbable Scaffolds Focusing on the Concept of Overlapping Implantation.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The implantation of bioresorbable scaffolds (BRS) is an emerging technique used in percutaneous coronary interventions. Their application has been extended to more complex lesions, although evidence is only available for simple lesions. The present study evaluated scaffold implantation in long lesions, focusing on overlapping scaffolds.

METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed all consecutive patients eligible for stenting with everolimus-eluting poly-L-lactic acid-based BRS with a minimum total scaffold length of 28mm, irrespective of the number of BRS used. The main target parameters were major adverse cardiac events, comprising cardiac death, any myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization, and target lesion failure, including cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization. A subgroup analysis included patients with overlapping BRS.

RESULTS: A total of 250 patients were included. The reason for angiography was stable coronary artery disease in 36.4% (91 of 250), an acute coronary syndrome in 61.6% (154 of 250), and other reasons in 2.0% (5 of 250). Procedural success was achieved in 97.8% (267 of 273) of the lesions. During follow-up, the 12-month rates of major adverse cardiac event, target lesion failure, and scaffold thrombosis were 8.5%, 6.6%, and 2.3%, respectively. Subgroup analysis of 239 patients showed that there were no statistically relevant differences between patients with and without overlapping scaffolds after a 12-month follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS: Long-segment stenting with a single scaffold or with multiple overlapping scaffolds is technically feasible with adequate mid-term outcomes. However, large-scale randomized studies are needed to provide further proof of concept.