BACKGROUND: We describe our experience in the REMCLI-ATC (REutilización de Materiales no hospital das CLInicas-ATC) study, which was developed at the Hemodynamics Section of the Department of Cardiology of the Hospital de Clínicas of the Medicine School of Montevideo, Uruguay, from September 2001 to August 2002 and from January 2003 to December 2004. METHODS: A hundred patients were prospectively included and treated with Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) with new (group 1, n = 49) or reprocessed (group 2, n = 51) material. Both groups were evaluated through variables that tested safety and efficacy of each strategy. RESULTS: The clinical and angiographic success rate was 96% with reprocessed material and 100% with new material (p = 0.54). No significant differences were found between the groups regarding the number of guide catheters, guides and balloons used in the PTCA. The volume of contrast medium, radioscopy times and procedure times were also similar. Major complications were seen only in group 2 (0% vs. 3.9%, p = 0.17), while minor complications occurred in both groups (6.1% and 9.8%, respectively; p = 0.48). CONCLUSION: Our data showed that it is technically possible and also safe to treat patients using reprocessed material in PTCA procedures. Theoretically this would result in an important resource saving in economically limited countries like Uruguay.
Angioplasty, transluminal, percutaneous coronary; Equipment reuse; Disposable equipment; Equipment safety; Hospital costs; Costs savings
