Drug-coated balloon versus provisional percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty to side branch in bifurcation lesions

Background: Interventions involving coronary artery bifurcation lesions are technically demanding and have been historically linked with lower procedural success rates and poorer clinical outcomes compared to non-bifurcation lesions, necessitating specialized preparation and distinct expertise. This study aimed to contrast the application of drug-coated balloons with that of conventional balloons in the provisional stenting of coronary artery bifurcation lesions. Methods: The study is an interventional clinical trial . sixty participants who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were recruited into our study and divided into two categories: Group A: Patients who underwent provisional stenting using the traditional method with plain balloon angioplasty. Group B: Patients who underwent provisional stenting using a drug-coated balloon. Immediate patient outcomes were evaluated, and a clinical follow-up was conducted after six months to monitor for major adverse cardiac events. Results: Our study indicates that Drug-coated balloons (DCBs) have surfaced as a compelling therapeutic strategy in managing coronary bifurcation lesions. A substantial difference was noted between group A and group B to MACE after 6 months. The incidence of MACE was 28.6% (8 out of 30 patients) in group A, compared to 3.3% (1 patient) in group B, with a p-value of 0.02. However, no significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding in-hospital MACE in this study. The secondary endpoint of the study was defined as lesion success, and procedure success. Conclusion: our study highlighted the promising results of drug-coated balloons and their potential utilization in managing coronary artery bifurcation lesions.