Coronary bifurcation lesions treated with the drug-eluting balloon: a preliminary insight from the DEBIUT study

Coronary bifurcation lesions, which account for 15-20% of all lesions treated percutaneously, remain hampered by procedural difficulties, post-procedural complications and suboptimal long-term results, even with the introduction of the drug-eluting stent (DES). Side branch (SB) restenosis rates remain a drawback even in the provisional T-stenting technique with final kissing balloons. The introduction of drug-eluting balloons (DEB) creates a new hope for this technique by maintaining the relatively easy provisional T-technique but promising better long term outcomes for the SB treated with DEB. The DEB delivers locally a high concentration of an anti-restenotic drug, paclitaxel, thereby potentially reducing restenosis rates as compared to a regular balloon. However little is still known on the optimal use and long-term outcomes of DEB in bifurcations. First results of the DEBIUT study will help to understand future directions in development of this new and promising device.