Sirolimus-Eluting vs. Bare-Metal Stents for SVG lesions

In saphenous-vein graft lesions, the sirolimus-eluting devices were better at preventing restenosis and the need for target-vessel revascularization over 6 months.

The use of drug-eluting stents, particularly in off-label contexts not studied in randomized trials, has come under intense scrutiny after reports of late stent complications (Journal Watch Cardiology Dec 20 2006). Now, we have a randomized, double-blind trial of drug-eluting stents in a context not examined in previous trials: saphenous-vein graft (SVG) lesions.

Researchers in the Netherlands randomized 75 patients (with 96 lesions in 80 SVGs) to receive sirolimus-eluting stents or bare-metal stents. The mean preprocedural reference-vessel diameter was about 3.3 mm in both groups. Distal-protection devices were used in more than 80% of lesions.

Angiographic success was achieved in all treated lesions. Six-month angiographic follow-up documen…

Reviewing Author

Howard C. Herrmann, MD