OBJECTIVETo study the efficacy and safety of cutting balloons in coronary interventions.

METHODSTwenty-two patients with 23 narrowed coronary arteries and 25 lesions enrolled the study, 17 of whom had 18 diseased coronary arteries and 18 lesions were in-stent restenosis. The average time from previous stenting was 7.60 +/- 3.53 months. The lesions were dilated with cutting balloons.

RESULTSAll of the lesions were dilated successfully by 5.16 +/- 2.30 inflations of a cutting balloon. The mean total duration of balloon inflation was 233.96 +/- 94.83 seconds at pressures up to 9.40 +/- 1.96 bars. The severity of vascular stenosis was lessened substantially (89.64 +/- 8.65% vs 17.60 +/- 17.15%, P = 0.000) without severe complications. Three restenotic lesions were further dilated with conventional balloons, another one was stented again because of a dissection distal to the previous stent. Three primary lesions were stented for dissection or residual stenosis. Angina pectoris reoccurred in two patients in a mean follow-up period of 7.42 +/- 6.87 (range 0.5-20) months.

CONCLUSIONCutting balloon dilation is an effective and safe choice in interventions for coronary disease especially for in-stent restenosis.