Outcomes With Combined Laser Atherectomy and Intravascular Brachytherapy in Recurrent Drug-Eluting Stent In-Stent Restenosis

Background: Recurrent drug-eluting stents (DES) in-stent restenosis (ISR) can be challenging to treat. The combined use of excimer laser atherectomy (ELCA) and vascular brachytherapy (VBT) for this indication has received limited study.

Methods: We report the long-term outcomes of patients with recurrent DES ISR treated with combined VBT and ELCA from January 2014 to September 2018 at a single institution. Outcomes included target lesion failure (TLF), defined as the composite of clinically driven target lesion revascularization (TLR), target lesion myocardial infarction (MI), and target lesion-related cardiac death.

Results: During the study period, 116 patients (143 lesions) underwent VBT, of which 19 patients (19 lesions) underwent combined laser atherectomy and VBT. All procedures were successful without no-reflow or dissection. Two propensity-score matched cohorts (ELCA + VBT (n = 18) vs. VBT only (n = 18)) were compared. During a median follow-up of 25.5 (14.5-40) months, there was no difference in the incidence of TLF (38.9% vs. 38.9%, log-rank p = 0.688), target-lesion MI (5.6% vs. 5.6%, log-rank p = 0.915), or TLR (38.9% vs. 33.3%, log-rank p = 0.933) between both groups. There was no cardiac death related to the target lesion.

Conclusions: When compared with VBT alone for the treatment of resistant DES ISR, combined use of ELCA and brachytherapy is associated with comparable long-term outcomes. ELCA should be considered in ISR lesions due to stent underexpansion.