BENT STENTS - A METHOD TO FACILITATE DELIVERY OF THE PALMAZ-SCHATZ STENT IN TORTUOUS AND RIGID CORONARY-ARTERIES

The Palmaz-Schatz stent delivery system (PS 153) and ''bare'' PS 204 s tents are relatively high-profile, rigid devices that can be difficult to deliver to lesions beyond tortuous, irregular, or rigid proximal s egments, Described herein is a method of mounting and shaping a Palmaz -Schatz stent on a low-profile balloon that provides a steerable, low- profile, and secure stent delivery system, Also described is the succe ssful use of this method in four consecutive cases where Palmaz-Schatz stents could not be delivered to the lesion site due to severely angu lated, irregular, or rigid proximal vessel segments. (C) 1998 Wiley-Li ss, Inc.