Modified T-stenting technique with crushing for bifurcation lesions: immediate results and 30-day outcome

We report a new stenting technique employed in 20 consecutive patients to treat true bifurcation lesions using the Cypher stent (Cordis, Warren, NJ). Both stents are advanced at the site of the bifurcation. The proximal marker of the side-branch stent must be situated in the main branch at a distance of 4-5 mm proximal to the carina of the bifurcation and the main branch stent must cover the bifurcation as well as the protruding segment of the side-branch stent. The side-branch stent is deployed first and balloon and wire are removed. The stent deployed in the main branch completely covers and crushes the protruding segment of the side branch stent against the vessel wall of the main branch. Following main- and side-branch predilatation, stents were successfully deployed in all lesions. Final kissing balloon inflation was performed in seven patients. Two patients had in-hospital myocardial infarction and one patient underwent in-hospital re-PTCA due to a dissection distal to a stent. No other major adverse cardiac events were observed in-hospital and during 1-month clinical follow-up. Treatment of bifurcation lesions using crushing stent technique is feasible with acceptable rate of procedural complications. Angiographic follow-up is necessary to prove the advantage of this specific technique to give complete coverage of the ostium of the side branch with a drug-eluting stent.