Optical coherence tomography-verified longer balloon inflation time may provide better stent apposition and optimal index parameters

Background Incomplete stent expansion and inadequate apposition predispose to stent thrombosis following percutaneous coronary intervention. Recent studies have shown that increasing the duration of balloon inflation during stent employment was beneficial. Thus, the balloon inflation time required for optimal stent expansion and apposition in patients receiving second-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) were determined using optical coherence tomography (OCT).