Long-time inflation of the PTCA balloon.

For patients for whom the conventional percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) did not adequately improve stenosis, or sufficient angioplasty was impossible because of occurrence of dissection, we attempted using a long-time balloon inflation for more than 10 minutes. In order to allow the use of this balloon, we instituted an active rehabilitation program using a bicycle ergometer to promote the development of the collateral circulation up to the time of performing diagnostic angiography and PTCA, while attempting to use a perfusion balloon catheter for those patients not developing sufficient collateral circulation. Of the 134 patients undergoing PTCA, unsatisfactory angiographic results were obtained in 13 patients. Of these patients, long-time balloon inflation was performed in seven and primary success was achieved in six. From this study, we believe that the long-time balloon inflation in PTCA can improve the primary success rate and reduce postoperative complications.