Summary:
- This article discusses the results of two recent clinical trials, IVUS-XPL and ULTIMATE, which examined the use of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging during complex percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures.
- The IVUS-XPL trial found that IVUS-guided PCI did not significantly improve clinical outcomes compared to angiography-guided PCI in patients with complex coronary artery disease.
- In contrast, the ULTIMATE trial showed that IVUS-guided PCI led to better clinical outcomes, including a lower rate of major adverse cardiac events, compared to angiography-guided PCI.
- These conflicting results have sparked debate among cardiologists about the role of IVUS in complex PCI procedures and the need for further research to clarify its clinical benefits.