Coronary Bifurcation Lesions: Innovative Approaches and the Future of Bifurcation Devices

Abstract

Coronary bifurcation management is still a long way from an optimal solution with the current technologies. The long-lasting battle between the two-stent and provisional stenting strategies seems to have chosen the latter as winner, at least in most cases. However, with regard to other lesion subsets, interventions are often longer, more complex and charged with a worse outcome at both short- and medium-term follow-up. In the last decade, many dedicated devices have been developed to specifically address this condition. As in many similar cases, scientific commitment has returned few results, with these devices often being complex, time wasting and lacking evidence-based medicine. Here, we review the main technical features of this stent class and all the scientific data available.

Keywords:

• bifurcation lesion
• crush technique
• culottes technique
• DES
• drug-eluting stent
• PCI
• stent

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.