We evaluated the safety and effectiveness of postdilating a 3.0 mm sirolimus-eluting stents (SESs; six cells) with a 3.5-4.0 mm balloon. We identified 254 consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous coronary interventions using SESs with a nominal diameter of 3.0 mm (six cells). Patients were divided into two groups based on whether they were subsequently postdilated with a 3.0 mm (group 1: 168 patients, 251 lesions) or a 3.5-4 mm balloon (group 2: 86 patients, 102 lesions). There were no significant differences regarding the incidence of in-hospital and long-term follow-up. Angiographic follow-up was available in 72% and 74% of groups 1 and 2, respectively. The two groups had no significant differences regarding late lumen loss (0.51 +/- 0.36 vs. 0.52 +/- 0.33; P = 0.3) and binary restenosis rates (10.7% vs. 8.8%; P = 0.1). Six-month clinical follow-up was available in all patients. At long-term follow-up (mean: 10.6 +/- 3.7 for group 1 and 11.3 +/- 3.9 months for group 2), there were no significant differences between the two groups regarding major adverse cardiac events (8.9% vs. 9.2%; P = 0.9). Implantation of a 3.0 mm SES with postdilation with a 3.5-4 mm balloon did not result in any significant difference in complications, in-hospital non-Q-wave myocardial infarction, binary restenosis, or target lesion revascularization. These data should lessen concern that overdilation may dilute the beneficial effects of SESs.
2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.