Evolving Utilization of Covered Stents for Treatment of Aortic Coarctation: Report From the IMPACT Registry

Covered stent (CS) use for the transcatheter treatment of coarctation of the aorta (COA) was first described over 20 years ago. The covered Cheatham-platinum stent received Food and Drug Administration approval for COA treatment in 2016. Data collected as part of the National Cardiovascular Data Registry IMPACT registry were evaluated for contemporary usage patterns of CS for the treatment of COA from 2016 to 2021.

Version 2 of the IMPACT registry was queried for all patients who underwent stent placement for treatment of COA from 2016 to 2021. Trends in CS use were evaluated by year and age of patient at the time of implant. Analysis was limited to clinical factors collected as part of the registry and was performed to identify factors associated with CS use.

Data were available for 1989 case entries. Most patients (92%) received a single stent. The overall percentage of CS use in the cohort was 23% and remained consistent throughout the study period. The probability of CS use was significantly associated with increasing patient age at implant. Additional factors associated with CS use included smaller initial COA diameter, native COA, and the presence of a pseudoaneurysm. Procedural adverse event rates were low.

CS use to treat COA was more common in adult patients and remained stable over the study period. Factors associated with CS use, including smaller COA diameter and aortic pseudoaneurysm, demonstrate the perceived value of CS as a tool to reduce the risk of aortic wall injury during treatment of COA.