Early Changes in Minimal Luminal Diameter After Balloon Angioplasty and Directional Coronary Atherectomy.

Early elastic recoil has been implicated in the pathophysiology of restenosis after balloon coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Directional atherectomy (DCA) may significantly attenuate this vessel wall reaction by altering the vessel wall architecture, specifically by removing or injuring the medial smooth muscle cells. We compared the magnitude of early changes in minimal lumen diameter (MLD) after DCA followed by adjunctive PTCA (group I) in comparison to PTCA alone (group II).