CLINICAL AND ANGIOGRAPHIC EXPERIENCE WITH CORONARY STENTING USING FREEDOM(TM) STENT

The immediate safety and efficacy and the 6 month clinical and angiogr aphic follow-up of a new fish-scale designed coronary coil stainless s teel stent (Freedom(TM)) was assessed by a prospective study. During 1 995, 169 patients were treated on 177 vessels using 233 Freedom stents . Procedural indication for stenting was a bail-out situation in 79 ve ssels, a suboptimal angioplasty result in 62 vessels and a third reste nosis after PTCA in 36 vessels. Procedural success was achieved in 170 vessels (96%); in 162 patients (96%). Subacute thrombotic occlusion o ccurred in one patient (0.6%). Acute myocardial infarction occurred in 7 patients (4.1%). Bleeding complications, necessitating blood transf usion occurred in 6 patients (3.6%). There were two non-stent related deaths. Recurrence of stent related angina pectoris and/or a positive stress test occurred in 10 pts (6.4%). Elective control angiography at 6 months was performed in the first 85 patients. Stent restenosis of greater than or equal to 50% diameter stenosis was found in 14 patient s (16.5%).