Incomplete stent apposition and uncovered struts are associated with a higher risk of stent thrombosis. No data exist on the process of neointimal coverage and late apposition status of the bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) when implanted in the highly thrombogenic setting of ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI). The aim of this study was to assess the serial changes in strut apposition and early neointimal coverage of the BVS using optical coherence tomography (OCT) in selected patients enrolled in the PRAGUE-19 study. Intracoronary OCT was performed in 50 patients at the end of primary percutaneous coronary intervention for acute STEMI. Repeated OCT of the implanted BVS was performed in 10 patients. Scaffold area, scaffold mean diameter and incomplete strut apposition (ISA) were compared between baseline and control OCT. Furthermore, strut neointimal coverage was assessed during the control OCT. Mean scaffold area and diameter did not change between the baseline and control OCT (8.59 vs. 9.06 mm(2); p = 0.129 and 3.31 vs. 3.37 mm; p = 0.202, respectively). Differences were observed in ISA between the baseline and control OCT (0.63 vs. 1.47 %; p < 0.05). We observed 83.1 % covered struts in eight patients in whom the control OCT was performed 4-6 weeks after BVS implantation, and 100 % covered struts in two patients 6 months after BVS implantation. Persistent strut apposition and early neointimal coverage were observed after biodegradable vascular scaffold implantation in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

• MeSH
• Coated Materials, Biocompatible * MeSH
• Time Factors MeSH
• Everolimus administration & dosage   adverse effects   MeSH
• ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction diagnostic imaging   therapy   MeSH
• Cardiovascular Agents administration & dosage   adverse effects   MeSH
• Coronary Angiography MeSH
• Percutaneous Coronary Intervention adverse effects   instrumentation   MeSH
• Coronary Vessels diagnostic imaging   drug effects   MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Neointima * MeSH
• Tomography, Optical Coherence MeSH
• Prospective Studies MeSH
• Prosthesis Design MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Absorbable Implants * MeSH
• Treatment Outcome MeSH
• Check Tag
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Clinical Study MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH