Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has dramatically improved mortality and morbidity in patients suffering an acute ST elevation myocardial infarction. Infarct size reduction, prevention of recurrent infarction and improved wound healing are thought to be the mechanisms responsible for the short and long-term clinical benefit of the procedure. In spite of this, myocardial salvage after PCI is often suboptimal because of distal embolisation of atherothrombotic debris and intense microcirculatory vasoconstriction caused by vasoactive substances released from platelets. This will cause a larger infarcted area with increased early and late left ventricular remodelling. Prevention of debris embolisation is therefore a potentially way to further improve myocardial salvage and thus mortality in patients suffering an acute myocardial infarction.