Everolimus-eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffolds implanted in coronary bifurcation lesions: Impact of polymeric wide struts on side-branch impairment

Background Limited data are available on bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS) performance in bifurcations lesions and on the impact of BVS wider struts on side-branch impairment. Methods Patients with at least one coronary bifurcation lesion involving a side-branch ≥ 2 mm in diameter and treated with at least one BVS were examined. Procedural and angiographic data were collected and a dedicated methodology for off-line quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) in bifurcation was applied (eleven-segment model), to assess side-branch impairment occurring any time during the procedure. Two- and three-dimensional QCA were used. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) analysis was performed in a subgroup of patients and long-term clinical outcomes reported. Results A total of 102 patients with 107 lesions, were evaluated. Device- and procedural-successes were 99.1% and 94.3%, respectively. Side-branch impairment occurring any time during the procedure was reported in 13 bifurcations (12.1%) and at the end of the procedure in 6.5%. Side-branch minimal lumen diameter (Pre: 1.45 ± 0.41 mm vs Final: 1.48 ± 0.42 mm, p = 0.587) %diameter-stenosis (Pre: 26.93 ± 16.89% vs Final: 27.80 ± 15.57%, p = 0.904) and minimal lumen area (Pre: 1.97 ± 0.89 mm2 vs Final: 2.17 ± 1.09 mm2, p = 0.334), were not significantly affected by BVS implantation. Mean malapposed struts at the bifurcation polygon-of-confluence were 0.63 ± 1.11. Conclusions The results of the present investigation suggest feasibility and relative safety of BVS implantation in coronary bifurcations. BVS wide struts have a low impact on side-branch impairment when considering bifurcations with side-branch diameter ≥ 2 mm.