[Treatment of intrastent restenosis by drug eluting stents: experience from one cardiology centre].

Many interventional treatments have been proposed for intrastent stenosis, in particular by drug-eluting stents, with encouraging results. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical outcome of patients with restenosis of an ordinary uncovered stent treated by a drug eluting stent in a prospective series. The register included 43 patients (50 intrastent restenoses) treated by a drug eluting stent (Cypher or Taxus). The restenosis lesion was focal in 32% of cases with an average length of 14.8 +/- 8 mm and diameter inferior to 2.5 mm in 48% of cases. A Cypher stent was implanted in 44% of cases and a Taxus stent in 56% of cases. After an average follow-up of 6.7 +/- 1.3 months, the major adverse cardiac event rate was 9.3%. It included one transmural infarct in a patient, due to stent thrombosis, and symptomatic restenoses in 3 patients (clinical restenosis rate: 7%). An angiographic control was performed in 15 patients (35%) identifying focal restenosis at the exit of the stent in the 3 symptomatic patients. As in previously reported studies, these results show that with well conducted platelet antiaggregant therapy, the treatment of intrastent restenosis with a drug eluting stent is effective with a low rate of adverse cardiovascular events which compares favourably with previously proposed techniques of management.