Table. Compositional characteristics of the plaque at the proximal edge of the Absorb BVS at baseline, 6 months and 2 years follow-up.
Proximal edge, Absorb BVS(n=16 ) / post-procedure / 6-months
(6m) / 24-months
(24m) / p-value,
post-6m / p-value,
6m-24m / p-value,
post-24m
Dense Calcium
(mm2) / 0.25
[0.09; 0.60] / 0.23
[0.12; 0.76] / 0.23
[0.14; 0.93] / NS / NS / NS
Dense Calcium
(%) / 12.28
[7.22; 29.12] / 16.82
[8.42; 30.54] / 16.52
[12.86; 21.20]
Fibrous
(mm2) / 1.16
[0.57; 1.71] / 1.14
[0.59; 1.65] / 1.24
[0.58; 2.35] / NS / NS / NS
Fibrous
(%) / 48.27
[36.41; 64.37] / 52.82
[32.69; 63.00] / 50.93
[43.33; 62.34]
Fibro fatty
(mm2) / 0.14
[0.04; 0.20] / 0.09
[0.05; 0.32] / 0.17
[0.06; 0.43] / NS / NS / NS
Fibro fatty
(%) / 4.25
[2.62; 9.36] / 4.61
[2.17; 11.91] / 8.06
[5.46; 10.05]
Necrotic core
(mm2) / 0.40
[0.08; 1.33] / 0.35
[0.20; 0.97] / 0.51
[0.18; 1.23] / NS / NS / NS
Necrotic core
(%) / 23.08
[13.86; 33.67] / 23.31
[14.41; 33.46] / 22.23
[17.58; 28.18]
Figure: Panel A shows a focal obstruction at the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery (the distal segment is on the left side of the panel and the proximal on the right). The lesion was pre-dilated with a balloon with length of 8mm (panel B, C - the position of the proximal and distal marker of the balloon is indicated with a red dashed lines) and then implanted with a 3x18mm Absorb BVS (panel D, the proximal and distal marker of the device are shown with an orange dashed line). The final result was excellent (panel E). The OCT image shown in panel Fi portrays the distal marker of the Absorb BVS, while the one in panel Fiii the proximal marker. Panel Fii shows the spread-out scaffold plot at baseline constructed after the identification of the composition of the superficial plaque in the OCT images immediate after device implantation. The green color indicates the fibrous tissue, the white the calcific tissue. The numbers in Panel E indicates the minimum thickness of the neointima over the calcific spot. As it is indicated from the dashed lines the 5mm proximal segment (which has 1 calcific spot) and the 5mm distal segment (which has 2 calcific spots) had a normal luminal silhouette on angiography and were not pre-dilated. However, although the vessel wall trauma must have been minimal in these segments, caused only by the implanted device, at 2-year follow-up the developed neointima has covered the 3 calcific spots (Gii) and the proximal and distal radiopaque markers of the scaffold (Gi, Giii). This is apparent in the OCT images acquired at baseline immediate after scaffold implantation (1) and at 2 years follow-up (2). The blue dash line indicates the location of the figures in spread-out scaffold plots. Image 2 was obtained at the location where the neointima thickness has its minimum value. The panels 3 and 4 portray corresponding OCT images that show 2 calcific tissues located proximally to the pre-dilated segment at baseline and follow-up. The grey dash line indicates their position in the spread-out scaffold plot.