Comparison of rheolytic thrombectomy before direct infarct artery stenting versus direct stenting alone in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction.

This randomized trial compared rheolytic thrombectomy before direct infarct artery stenting with direct infarct artery stenting alone in 100 patients with a first acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The primary end point of the study was early ST-segment elevation resolution, and the secondary end points were corrected Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) frame count, infarct size, and 1-month clinical outcome. The primary end point rates were 90% in the thrombectomy group and 72% in the placebo group (p = 0.022). Randomization to thrombectomy was independently related to the primary end point (odds ratio 3.56, p = 0.032). The corrected Thrombolysis In Myocaridal Infarctions (TIMI) frame count was lower in the thrombectomy group (18.2 +/- 7.7 vs 22.5 +/- 11.0, p = 0.032), and infarct size was smaller in the thrombectomy group (13.0 +/- 11.6% vs 21.2 +/- 18.0%, p = 0.010). At 1 month, there were no major adverse cardiac events. Rheolytic thrombectomy before routine direct infarct-related artery (IRA) stenting is highly feasible and provides more effective myocardial reperfusion in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for AMI.