Small margins and big gains: evidence for angioplasty with cutting or scoring balloons in patients with in-stent restenosis

The use of drug-eluting stents (DES) for the treatment of coronary artery stenosis substantially reduced the need for repeat revascularization compared to bare-metal stents. However, as many patients undergoing stenting have long life expectancy, and the incidence rate of stent failure increases with time since implantation, the number of patients presenting with DES restenosis is not insignificant and the treatment of these patients remains a challenge.