[Self-expandable metallic stent for use in arterial occlusive lesions]

Gianturco expandable metallic stents were successfully placed in 4 patients with arterial occlusive disease: aortic obstruction or stenosis due to aortitis (n = 2), dissecting aneurysm (n = 1) and arteriosclerotic obstruction of the iliac artery (n = 1). The length of lesion was from 2 to 15 cm. In one case of aortitis (case 1), eleven stents (5 and 6 stents in tandem connected by wire struts) were inserted through a 12 F Teflon sheath. In another aortitis case (case 2) 4 stents in tandem were inserted through a 10 F sheath. In the two cases the sheaths were introduced by femoral arteriotomy. In case 3 and 4 two or four stents in tandem were placed through a 8 F long sheath which was introduced via the femoral artery by Seldinger method. Symptoms disappeared after placement of stents in all four cases. Our results showed the usefulness of expandable metallic stents in the treatment of arterial occlusive diseases.