Applicability of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty to patients with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator mediated thrombolysis

To test the utility and safety of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) after recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (t‐PA), we performed the procedure in all suitable candidates with acute myocardial infarction (MI) who had successful t‐PA mediated coronary thrombolysis. Twenty consecutive patients with MI received t‐PA after coronary angiographic conformation of total occlusion. Successful recanalization with t‐PA was achieved in 13 patients, leaving a residual obstruction of 84 ± 6% in the nine patients for whom PTCA was attempted at a mean of 21.6 h. Success was achieved in seven patients, leading to a residual lesion of 29 ± 7%. In the two patients for whom PTCA was unsuccessful, total reocclusion occurred prior to the attempt despite therapy with heparin, aspirin, dipyridamole, and nifedipine. All PTCA procedures were uncomplicated. Serial two‐dimensional echocardiography at 10 days, compared to admission, demonstrated infarct zone wall motion index improvement in the patients with successful PTCA (group A, 0.83 ± 0.36 to 1.46 ± 0.49) as compared to the 13 patients without thrombolysis or successful PTCA (group B, 0.61 ± 0.26 to 0.66 ± 0.39), (P < 0.05). One patient of group A sustained a massive stroke at 2 weeks after hospital discharge. In the remaining six patients, follow‐up exercise testing and/or coronary arteriography demonstrated a negative treadmill test and/or patent infarct vessel, respectively. After successful PTCA, no patient had clinical signs of reocclusion, reinfarction, postinfarction angina, or congestive heart failure. At 9.4 ± 2 months, all six patients are asymptomatic and have returned to work. Thus, sequential PTCA after t‐PA can be performed safely and successfully in patients with MI and this approach may be associated with improved regional function and a favorable post‐MI course.