Coronary embolisation of atherothrombotic material during percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) may cause necrosis of otherwise viable myocardium, which can result in reduction of contractile function.
1 In primary PCI for ST-elevation myocardial infarction, thrombus aspiration prior to stent implantation can reduce both incidence and extent of angioplasty-induced atherothrombotic embolisation and myocardial necrosis.
2-4 As recently demonstrated, this approach can improve long-term clinical outcome at one-year follow-up.
5 …