Drug eluting balloon (DEB)

Drug eluting balloon (DEB) is an emerging method for combating restenosis in coronary and peripheral interventions. Paclitaxel is the primary drug in view of its rapid uptake and prolonged retention. Drug eluting balloons have been shown to be useful in patients with in-stent restenosis. DEB has also been evaluated in small vessel disease, superficial femoral artery disease and below knee disease. DEBIUT registry [Safety and efficacy of drug-eluting balloons in percutaneous treatment of bifurcation lesions: the DEBIUT (drug-eluting balloon in bifurcation Utrecht) registry.Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2008 Apr 1;71(5):629-35]  evaluated the efficacy of DEB in bifurcation lesions. Twenty patients with bifurcation lesions enrolled in this registry underwent treatment with paclitaxel coated balloons and provisional stenting of the main branch with bare metal stent. There were no major acute coronary events or subacute vessel closure at 4 month follow up. DEB has also been used in treating vein graft disease along with a novel pericardium covered stent catheter [Cardiovasc Interv. 2010 May 1;75(6):964-6]. Pericardium covered stent was considered because of the poor crossing profile of PTFE covered stents. A study involving one hundred and thirty one patients with in-stent restenosis randomized between paclitaxel coated balloon and paclitaxel coated stent [Circulation. 2009 Jun 16;119(23):2986-94] found the parameters better with balloon, but not statistically significant. They authors concluded that a second stent is not required for inhibition of re-restenosis.