Optimal coronary balloon angioplasty with provisional stenting versus primary stent (OCBAS): immediate and long-term follow-up results

This is a critical abstract of an economic evaluation that meets the criteria for inclusion on NHS EED. Each abstract contains a brief summary of the methods, the results and conclusions followed by a detailed critical assessment on the reliability of the study and the conclusions drawn. Despite similar angiographic restenosis and event-free survival at 1-year follow up, overall costs were significantly higher in the stent than in the optimal PTCA with provisional stenting group. Stenting after successful PTCA should be avoided if early loss in minimal luminal diameter is not present.