Provisional Stenting: A Contemporary Relook at the Strategy and Lingering Issues

Abstract

Bifurcation lesions are encountered and treated in up to 1 in 5 cases of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Such lesions pose a technical challenge to PCI, leading to lower procedural success and a higher rate of long-term adverse events. However, each bifurcation is unique in terms of anatomy and pathological presentation. There is no “one size fits all” strategy for coronary bifurcation PCI. Nevertheless, in most scenarios, provisional stenting is the preferred technique. This method is easy to apply and involves a logical stepwise escalation approach that is highly successful and safe.