Relation of clinical presentation, stenosis morphology, and operator technique to the procedural results of rotational atherectomy and rotational atherectomy-facilitated angioplasty.

Abstract

The procedural outcome of rotational atherectomy is highly correlated with stenosis morphology and location and sex of the patient. After stratification for these parameters, overall outcome with the Rotablator appears to be similar to that with balloon angioplasty and other competing techniques. Short-term outcome with specific subsets of patients may be superior with the Rotablator (calcified stenoses), but this technique might best be avoided in some patients (those with irregular or possibly thrombus-containing stenoses, highly angulated stenoses, and possible right coronary artery stenoses or those associated with impaired distal runoff caused by a recent myocardial infarction or manifest by a fixed thallium defect).