Impact of Scoring Balloon Angioplasty on Lesion Preparation for DCB Treatment of Coronary Lesions.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of scoring balloon angioplasty for drug-coated balloon (DCB) treatment in percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: The scoring balloon angioplasty may play a pivotal role in enhancing the outcomes of DCB treatment.

Methods: A total of 259 patients (278 lesions) with coronary artery disease successfully treated with DCB were retrospectively enrolled. The mean age of the patients was 62.2 ± 11.1 years, and the majority of patients were men (68.7%). The study's endpoint was defined as achieving an optimal angiographic result, which consisted of Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow grade 3, residual diameter stenosis ≤ 30%, and dissection less than type C after the procedure.

Results: Angioplasty was performed for 61 lesions with a scoring balloon and 217 lesions with a non-scoring balloon. All lesions were TIMI flow grade 3 except two lesions in the non-scoring balloon group. The scoring balloon group had a higher prevalence of residual diameter stenosis ≤ 30% (68.9% vs. 39.6%, < 0.001), while severe dissection, defined as type C or greater, was observed less frequently (9.8% vs. 31.8%, = 0.001). Moreover, the scoring balloon group achieved a superior rate of optimal angiographic results (60.7% vs. 28.6%, < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, scoring balloon (OR: 3.08 [95% confidence interval, 1.47-6.58], = 0.003) and DCB balloon-to-artery ratios (OR: 5.46 [95% confidence interval, 1.43-21.93], = 0.014) were independent factors in the increasing rate of optimal angiographic result.

Conclusions: The application of a scoring balloon catheter for lesion preparation, aiming to make them suitable for DCB treatment, was associated with a decreased risk of severe dissection and a greater occurrence of optimal angiographic outcomes compared with non-scoring balloon angioplasty.