Short-term effect of successful aspiration during primary stenting on patients with acute myocardial infarction

Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of aspiration thrombectomy (AT) using an Aspiration Catheter (INVATEC SPA DIVER C.E. MAX, Italy) during primary stenting in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).Methods and Results: Our study group consisted of 136 patients. The Aspiration Catheter group included 74 patients treated by direct stenting after AT and the control group included 62 patients treated by primary stenting after balloon predilation without thrombectomy. Measurement of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by echocardiography was obtained before (acute LVEF) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and 1 week after (late LVEF) the procedure. The number of patients with thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) grade 3, myocardial blush grade (MBG) 3 and with full restoration of ST segment elevation following PCI was higher in the aspiration Catheter group compared to the control group (90 vs 68%, P < 0.01), (86 vs 62%, P < 0.01) and (90 vs 64%, P < 0.01) respectively. Minimal change in LVEF was observed in patients between the Aspiration Catheter group and control group at 1 week post procedure.Conclusion: Combination of AT using Aspiration Catheter (INVATEC SPA DIVER C.E. MAX) with primary stenting can better restore epicardial coronary flow and myocardial perfusion, while left ventricle (LV) function had subtle change in AMI when compared to primary stenting after balloon predilation without thrombectomy.