INTRAVASCULAR ULTRASOUND EVALUATING CORONARY STENTS FOR PATIENTS WITH CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE：COMPARED OLD WITH NEW MULTILINK STENTS

Objective.It was suggested that coronary stent design and coating may affect stent performance and hence induce varying degrees of thrombogenesis and neointimal hyperplasia.T he purpose of this study is to compare the6-month follow-up results between o ld and new Multilink stents with the method of intravascular ultrasound(IVUS)imaging.Methods.We have performed old(n =40)and new(n =35)Multilink stent implantations on 75patients with coronary artery disease.Coron ary angiography was performed before,immediately after,and 6months after the in-stent procedure respectively.Six-month follow-up IVUS imaging was performed and analyzed off-line.Results.Minimal lumen cross sectional area(CSA)of new Multilink stents was signific antly larger than that of old Multilink stents(P=0.0053).Mean stent lumen area of new Multili nk stents was significantly larger than that of old Multilink stents(P=0.040).Similarly,minimal lumen diameter(MLD)of new Multilink stents was larger than that of old Mul tilink stents(P=0.011).Old Multilink stents had a higher percentage of plaque area than new Multilink stent s.Conclusion.The new Multilink stent is obviously superior to old Multilink stents,in particular,in the stent MLD and lumen CSA---major determinants of the restenosis.