The influence of balloon inflation duration on the acute angiographic result of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

This study was performed to evaluate the importance of the duration of balloon inflation during PICA, by comparing two common inflation durations. Patients were randomized to a 30-second inflation protocol (group I, 83 procedures, 109 lesions), or a 60-second protocol (group II, 83 procedures, 115 lesions). There were no differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups, and no subsequent differences in mean inflation number (3.4 ± 1.6 vs 3.1 ± 1.6), residual stenosis (34%± 17% vs 33%± 16%), presence of dissection (29% vs 34%), or clinical success (89% vs 84%), group I versus group II, respectively. The 30-second inflations caused significantly less chest pain score (147 ± 239 vs 399 ± 516, P < 0.001), and ST segment alteration (75 ± 94 seconds vs 136 ± 163, P < 0.05). These results indicate that 60-second inflations do not produce a superior result to 30-second inflations. Furthermore, shorter inflations are much better tolerated.