Coronary angioplasty, eventually followed by
stent implantation, represents the gold standard of acute
myocardial infarction (AMI) treatment. Optimal reperfusion implies both patency of the
infarct-related artery and a good myocardial microrevascularization with normal tissue reperfusion. The so called
no-reflow phenomenon mainly occurs in the presence of highly thrombotic lesions, especially during primary angioplasty and it represents a negative prognostic factor of the outcome of AMI patients treated with angioplasty. A 77-year-old high-risk male patient, previous
coronary artery bypass graft with the saphenous vein graft to the left anterior descending coronary artery for post-AMI angina in 1984, aided by 118 ambulance for anterior AMI was admitted to our cath-lab for primary coronary angioplasty. During the transport he was given
aspirin i.v. 300 mg,
heparin 5000 IU and
abciximab (9.4 ml bolus plus infusion for 12 hours). The time of treatment (from symptom onset to first inflation) was about 90 min. Coronary angiography showed a massive
thrombus occlusion of the vein graft with TIMI 0 distal flow. We employed the Export
Catheter for
mechanical aspiration of the occluding
thrombus. The procedure was completed with direct
stent implantation with good angiographic outcome. The use of
thrombus aspiration and protection devices (filters or occlusive balloons) associated or not with the use of
glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor blockers, has reduced the risk of distal embolization and of
no-reflow phenomenon.