In 162 patients with acute transmural myocardial infarction, combined intravenous
and intracoronary thrombolytic therapy with streptokinase was initiated. In vessels
that remained occluded, mechanical recanalization was performed with a 3F recanalization
catheter (group I, n = 79) or a 4F Grüntzig balloon catheter (group II, n = 83). After
reperfusion, intracoronary streptokinase was administered superselectively. After
termination of streptokinase infusion, angioplasty was performed only in patients
in group II. There was no difference between the groups in relation to sex, age, infarct
location, creatine kinase levels and time between onset of symptoms and start of treatment.
Initial coronary angiography showed an open vessel in 27 (34%) of 79 patients in group
I and 21 (25%) of 83 patients in group II. The final reperfusion rate was 90% (71
of 79) in group I and 86% (71 of 83) in group II. Angioplasty was attempted in 69
of the 71 patients in group II with a success rate of 65% and an occlusion rate of
3%. During the hospital stay, reocclusion occurred in 14 (20%) of 71 patients in group
I. After thrombolytic therapy, coronary luminal narrowing in group I was 75 +/- 17%
in patients without and 87 +/- 6% in patients with reocclusion (p less than 0.05).
In group II, reocclusion was found in 10 (14%) of 71 patients. After angioplasty,
the degree of coronary stenosis in group II was reduced from 82 +/- 12 to 51 +/- 30%
(p less than 0.001). Reocclusion was found in 3 (7%) of the 45 patients with successful
angioplasty and in 7 (32%) of the 22 patients with unsuccessful angioplasty (p less
than 0.01). Improvement in regional left ventricular function was observed only in
patients from group II with anterior myocardial infarction. In conclusion, by combined
medical and mechanical recanalization, the rate of coronary reperfusion can be increased
and infarct time shortened, providing the possibility of full revascularization by
angioplasty, with improvement of regional wall motion and reduction of the rate of
reocclusion.