PERIPHERAL INTRAVASCULAR STENTING

Since the late 1970s, percutaneous endovascular techniques have been d eveloped that have proved effective in the treatment of symptomatic ar terial stenosis or obstruction. Although balloon angioplasty remains t he gold-standard method, the development over the last ten years of en dovascular stents has improved the initial and delayed results of ball oon angioplasty. Stents have also been used successfully to treat lesi ons not amenable to balloon angioplasty alone, such as arterial dissec tions and aneurysms, The characteristics of the main currently availab le stents are reviewed, as well as their indications and results.