Long-term follow-up after coronary stenting and intravascular red laser therapy

A high restenosis rate remains a limiting factor for coronary angioplasty and stenting. Recently, use of intravascular red light therapy (IRLT) has been shown to be effective in different animal models and in humans in reducing the restenosis rate. Sixty-eight patients were treated with IRLT in conjunction with coronary stenting procedures. Mean age was 64 ± 9 years. Treated lesions were type A (11), type B (42), and type C (18) with a mean lesion length of 16.5 ± 2.4 mm. Reference vessel diameter and minimal lumen diameter (MLD) before therapy were 2.90 ± 0.15 and 1.12 ± 0.36 mm, respectively. After stenting and laser irradiation, MLD was 2.76 ± 0.39 mm. No procedural complications or in-hospital adverse events occurred. All patients were followed up as depicted in the protocol. Sixty-one patients underwent angiographic restudy, which revealed restenosis in 9 patients (14.7%). Observed restenosis rate by artery size was >3 mm (n = 21, 0%), 2.5 to 3.0 mm (n = 28, 14.2%), and <2.5 mm (n = 12, 41.6%). We conclude that IRLT is safe and feasible and reduces the expected restenosis rate in patients after coronary stenting in arteries of >2.5 mm.