Donald S. Baim

TL;DR: In selected patients, placement of an intracoronary stent, as compared with balloon angioplasty, results in an improved rate of procedural success, a lower rate of angiographically detected restenosis, a similar rate of clinical events after six months, and a less frequent need for revascularization of the original coronary lesion.

TL;DR: This study compared the efficacy and safety of three antithrombotic-drug regimens — aspirin alone, aspirin and warfarin, and aspirin and ticlopidine — after coronary stenting to prevent stent thrombosis.

TL;DR: Treatment with aspirin and ticlopidine after coronary stenting resulted in a lower rate of stent thrombosis, although there were more hemorrhagic complications than with aspirin alone.

TL;DR: The technical approach to and outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of occluded coronary arteries, as well as the novel devices and drugs approved and undergoing investigation for CTO recanalization, are summarized.

TL;DR: The no-reflow phenomenon--reduction in distal flow without apparent dissection or distal embolization--occurs in 2% of coronary interventions and generally responds promptly to intracoronary verapamil administration, suggesting that distal microvascular spasm may be its etiology.