Magnetic navigation system assisted stenting of coronary bifurcation lesions

Aims: Magnetic guidewire assisted percutaneous coronary interventions (MPCI) could have certain advantages in coronary bifurcation lesions. We aimed to report the angiographic characteristics of the bifurcation lesions, as well as the procedural and clinical outcomes of the MPCI patients. Methods and results: The lesion characteristics and the treatment effect were assessed by performing diagnostic and quantitative coronary angiography with dedicated bifurcation software. A total of 76 patients (age 65 years, 78% male) were assigned to undergo MPCI, in which two-thirds of the lesions were located in LAD/D1. Fifty-seven out of 78 lesions (73%) had a diseased side branch and complex stenting techniques were used in the majority of the lesions (64%). All 59/78 (76%) fenestration attempts were successfully performed and only 13 dedicated bifurcation stents were implanted. The average acute gain in minimal luminal diameter was 1.08±0.81mm, 0.80±0.70 mm and 0.59±0.56 mm for the proximal, distal and side branch, respectively. The procedural success was 69% with a procedure time of 107±43 minutes, fluoroscopy time of 34±24 minutes and contrast use of 338±136 ml. At a mean of 1.8-years follow-up, 15 patients (20%) had a cardiac event. Conclusions: MPCI is associated with good angiographic, fenestration and procedural success rates in the treatment of coronary bifurcation lesions.