INITIAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE DISARTICULATED (ONE-HALF) PALMAZ-SCHATZ STENT - A TECHNICAL REPORT

We developed an alternative method to stent suitable lesions located i n anatomical settings considered to be too complex for regular Palmaz- Schatz stent placement. This method consists of using a disarticulated (one-half) Palmaz-Schatz stent. Eight patients underwent stenting uti lizing this method. The left anterior descending was stented in five p atients, the right coronary artery in one patient, the proximal and mi d shaft of a vein graft in one patient, and a protected left main coro nary artery in one patient. In all patients the stents were placed in addition to full stents. In four patients, 1 1/2 stents were placed; t wo patients had 2 1/2 stents; one patient had 3 1/2 stents and the las t patient had a total of 5 stents placed (1 full stent and 8 half sten ts). One patient had 8 disarticulated stents placed. All half stents p repared for delivery were successfully deployed to the pre-designated angiographic site without complication.