Brachytherapy for refractory coronary artery restenosis.

A 76-year-old female patient complained of progressive episodes of chest and left arm pain and numbness, accompanied by a burning sensation in the left breast. The symptoms were nitroglycerine-responsive and consistent with her prior angina. Cardiac history included an initial percutaneous coronary intervention and 4 subsequent occurrences of restenosis in a stented area of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. Following a fifth restenosis of the LAD, the Novoste Beta-Cath Brachytherapy System was employed following balloon dilatation of the persistent recurrence. At 10 months post-brachytherapy, angiography revealed a patent LAD with no evidence of in-stent restenosis.