Drug-coated Balloons for Small Coronary Disease—A Literature Review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: In the interventional treatment of coronary artery disease, new-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) currently are the standard treatment. In addition, drug-coated balloons (DCB) are a well-established option for the treatment of in-stent restenosis in both bare-metal stents (BMS) and DES, where DCBs deliver an antiproliferative drug without the necessity of re-implanting a stent. Since the field of use for DCB has increasingly been extended to other indications such as de novo lesions in small vessel disease (SVD), a review of literature may be useful. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent randomized trial data show good efficacy and safety for DCB in de novo lesions, especially in small coronary arteries, and confirm long-term clinical efficacy and safety up to three years. SUMMARY: DCB are an attractive and safe option in the treatment of de novo lesions in SVD.