Successful recanalization of an occluded coronary artery by percutaneous coronary intervention, systemic administration of tirofiban, a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor, and intracoronary thrombolysis with alteplase.

A 51 year-old male was admitted to our institution with subacute inferior myocardial infarction. Coronary angiography showed thrombotic occlusion of the right coronary artery. Percutaneous coronary intervention including the delivery of 3 stents was unsuccessful (TIMI grade 0 flow). In addition to an ongoing systemic administration of tirofiban, a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor, the patient received intracoronary thrombolysis (ICT) with alteplase (recombinant tissue type plasminogen activator, rt-PA). There was complete reperfusion on control angiography the following day (TIMI grade 3 flow); 7 months later, there was still TIMI grade 3 flow. To our knowledge, this is the first report on systemic administration of tirofiban combined with ICT.