Supra-aortic arterial stenoses: management with Palmaz balloon-expandable intraluminal stents

The authors report on the use of Palmaz balloon-expandable intraluminal metallic stents to supplement conventional balloon angioplasty and to primarily treat a variety of supra-aortic arterial atherosclerotic lesions manifested by claudication or embolic phenomena.

Results from a series of seven patients are reported. Five patients received stents following percutaneous balloon angioplasty (PTA): four patients received five stents for suboptimal initial result of PTA and one patient received one stent for early restenosis following successful PTA. Two patients received three stents primarily: one patient had one stent placed for a highly eccentric innominate lesion and the other patient had two stents placed for an ulcerated nonocclusive subclavian lesion causing blue digits.

Treatment produced immediate angiographic or hemodynamic improvement in all seven patients. Clinical follow-up was obtained on all patients (mean, 10 months; range, 3-18 months). One patient had an episode of vertigo after PTA of a right subclavian lesion that resolved after thrombolytic therapy and stent placement.

The placement of metallic stents in supra-aortic arteries represented an effective adjunct to PTA of atherosclerotic stenoses in these vessels. Primary stent placement may be an effective treatment for selected lesions.