Modified T-stenting with intentional protrusion of the side-branch stent within the main vessel stent to ensure ostial coverage and facilitate final kissing balloon: the T-stenting and small protrusion technique (TAP-stenting). Report of bench testing and first clinical Italian-Korean two-centre experience

Abstract

Objectives: To describe a novel modification of the T-stenting technique and to report the bench test as well as the first clinical results obtained.

Background: The best technique to treat bifurcated coronary lesions has not been defined.

Methods: This novel modification of the T-stenting technique is based, after stenting of the main vessel (MV) and kissing balloon, on the intentional minimal protrusion of the side-branch (SB) stent within the MV. Final kissing balloon is performed using the balloon kept uninflated into the MV before SB stenting. The technique was tested in vitro and applied in two independent series of patients undergoing elective drug-eluting stent implantation on one bifurcated lesion. Bifurcated lesions were classified according to the Medina classification. Patients' outcome up to 9 month was prospectively assessed.

Results: The bench test showed perfect coverage of the bifurcation with minimal stent's struts overlap at the proximal part of SB ostium and a small, single layer stent struts, neo-carina not affecting the MV patency. Seventy-three complex patients (67% of Medina 1,1,1 lesions; 44% of unprotected distal left main lesions) were treated with sirolimus-, paclitaxel-, or zotarolimus-eluting stents using the TAP technique. Procedural success was achieved in all cases and the clinical outcome up to 9 month was characterized by a low rate of clinically-driven target vessel revascularization (6.8%).

Conclusions: The TAP-stenting is a modification of the T-stenting technique which allows full coverage of bifurcated lesions and facilitates final kissing balloon. The first clinical experience suggests that this technique may be practical, thus calling for further evaluations of the technique.