Promising efficacy of primary gradual and prolonged balloon angioplasty in small coronary arteries: a randomized comparison with cutting balloon angioplasty and conventional balloon angioplasty.

Background: Small vessel size represents a critical risk factor for an adverse outcome after both conventional balloon angioplasty (POBA) and stenting. Gradual and prolonged balloon angioplasty (GPBA) has been shown to cause less arterial trauma, which results in higher procedural success rates and fewer in-hospital complications than POBA. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical and angiographic benefits of primary GPBA with a perfusion balloon in small coronary arteries, as compared with cutting balloon angioplasty (CBA) and POBA.