SUPRAAORTIC ARTERIAL STENOSES - MANAGEMENT WITH PALMAZ BALLOON-EXPANDABLE INTRALUMINAL STENTS

PURPOSE: The authors report on the use of Palmaz balloon-expandable in traluminal metallic stents to supplement conventional balloon angiopla sty and to primarily treat a variety of supra-aortic arterial atherosc lerotic lesions manifested by claudication or embolic phenomena. PATIE NTS AND METHODS: Results from a series of seven patients are reported. Five patients received stents following percutaneous balloon angiopla sty (PTA): four patients received five stents for suboptimal initial r esult of PTA and one patient received one stent for early restenosis f ollowing successful PTA. Two patients received three stents primarily: one patient had one stent placed for a highly eccentric innominate le sion and the other patient had two stents placed for an ulcerated nono cclusive subclavian lesion causing blue digits. RESULTS: Treatment pro duced immediate angiographic or hemodynamic improvement in all seven p atients. Clinical follow-up was obtained on all patients (mean, 10 mon ths; range, 3-18 months). One patient had an episode of vertigo after PTA of a right subclavian lesion that resolved after thrombolytic ther apy and stent placement, CONCLUSION: The placement of metallic stents in supra-aortic arteries represented an effective adjunct to PTA of at herosclerotic stenoses in these vessels, Primary stent placement may b e an effective treatment for selected lesions.