Myocardial perfusion after percutaneous coronary angioplasty

To study the time-course of myocardial perfusion after coronary angioplasty, electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated coronary angiography was performed before, immediately after, and 24 hours after successful dilatation of 22 isolated left anterior descending coronary arteries. Minimal cross-sectional areas before, immediately after, and 24 hours after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) were 0.59±0.46 mm², 3.05±1.17 mm², and 2.88±1.42 mm² respectively. At the same time, myocardial blood flow at maximal hyperemia, expressed as 1/mean transit time, improved in all patients (from 0.14±0.05 a/s to 0.20±0.07 a/s, p<0.0001). The results persisted after 24 hours, and associated with the recovery of the regional left ventricular function