"This method is particularly useful for in-stent restenosis, small vessel lesions, or patients who need to avoid additional intravascular implants," stated Doctor Nguyen Quoc Thai, Deputy Director of the Heart Institute, Bach Mai Hospital. He shared this at a scientific workshop on coronary intervention with drug-eluting balloons, which gathered domestic and international interventional cardiology experts on March 13.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is characterized by reduced blood flow to the coronary arteries due to plaque buildup within the vessels. Clinical manifestations include silent myocardial ischemia, angina pectoris, acute coronary syndrome (unstable angina, myocardial infarction), and sudden cardiac death.

Treatment for the disease involves medication and interventional procedures. These methods aim to restore blood flow and increase circulation in narrowed or blocked coronary arteries, leading to the recovery or improvement of coronary blood flow.

Experts performing coronary intervention with a drug-eluting balloon on a patient on March 13. *Photo: Thanh Duong*

For many years, stent placement has been a common treatment for coronary artery disease. However, certain patient groups face a high risk of coronary artery restenosis after stent implantation. There is a growing trend to minimize permanent implanted materials within blood vessels. Advanced treatment technologies like drug-eluting balloons (DEB) offer more effective, safer, and sustainable approaches for patients.

A drug-eluting balloon is a novel device for percutaneous coronary intervention. This angioplasty method rapidly delivers an anti-restenosis drug to the atherosclerotic-damaged artery wall at a high local concentration, without requiring a metal frame or stent like in traditional stent placement.

Bach Mai Hospital has performed 10 coronary interventions using drug-eluting balloon technology, with positive outcomes. The most recent case involved a 68-year-old male patient from Hanoi who experienced left chest pain. Each episode lasted 30-60 minutes, occurred with mild exertion, and radiated to his left shoulder and inner left arm. The frequency of these pain episodes had increased, leading to his hospitalization for coronary intervention. Experts used the drug-eluting balloon technique to treat him. Currently, post-intervention, the patient is stable, on medication, and will follow up as scheduled.

Professor Tuomas Rissanen from the University of Eastern Finland, a leading expert in coronary intervention and drug-coated balloon (DCB) technology research, noted that stent-less coronary intervention strategies are being studied and applied in many cardiac centers worldwide. However, not all drug-eluting balloons are alike. Differences in design, drug type, and drug delivery systems significantly impact treatment efficacy. Understanding the characteristics of each technology is crucial for selecting the optimal intervention strategy.

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