Drug-Coated Balloons: Applications in Interventional Cardiology

This book provides a comprehensive, up-to-date summary of drug-coated balloon (DCB) technology and the role of DCBs in the treatment of coronary and peripheral arterial disease. In addition to clear explanation of how DCBs works, readers will find an enlightening analysis of the mistakes and successes of the past decade and the emergence of the latest delivery systems, which combine a more deliverable device with much improved drug delivery to the vessel wall. The full range of current applications of DCBs are reviewed in detail, drawing on the latest scientific evidence. Due attention is paid to newer devices, with provision of technical insights and documentation of the available clinical data. Ongoing research projects, remaining technical challenges, likely future directions, and reimbursement issues are also carefully considered. This book will be a useful tool for any interventional cardiologist, interventional radiologist, or vascular surgeon who wishes to acquire a deep knowledge of this technology and its application in both coronary and peripheral interventions.

Dr Cortese is Interventional Cardiologist and Chief of Research, Innovation and Development of the Cardiac Dpt at Fatebenefratelli Hospital in Milan, Italy. His main contests of interest are new technologies in the catheterization laboratory, including drug-coated balloons and bioresorbable scaffolds. Dr Cortese is one of the most world-renowned experts  in drug-coated balloons technology, and among other contributions he conceived and published the Italian Guidelines on Drug-Eluting Balloon angioplasty in the coronary field, that were endorsed by the Italian Scientific Society of Interventional Cardiology (GISE); the International Guidelines on Drug-Eluting Balloon angioplasty in the peripheral field, published in the European Heart Journal in 2016. Since 2014 Dr Cortese  is member of the Scientific Committee of the Italian Society of Interventional Cardiology. He is involved in several educational programs, including the “DEB School”, and he is author of more than 120 publications indexed in Pubmed.