Radiology, Vol 167, 707-712, Copyright © 1988 by Radiological Society of North America
Endovascular stenting of veins and grafts: preliminary clinical experience
CL Zollikofer, I Largiader, WF Bruhlmann, GK Uhlschmid and AH Marty
Department of Radiology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland.
Stenotic lesions of veins and bypass grafts are often difficult to dilate
and have a high frequency of recurrence. In an effort to provide an
endoluminal mechanical support, the new concept of transluminal vascular
stenting was applied in four patients with stenoses of nonarterial vessels,
including two with postoperative venous stenoses, one with a stenosed
mesenteric artery graft anastomosis, and one with a long stenosis of the
basilic vein distal to a hemodialysis shunt graft. All four were
successfully treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty followed by
endovascular stenting. All but one of the stented segments were patent,
with no significant restenosis after a follow-up of 4 1/2-12 months. There
have been previous reports of transluminal vascular stenting in the
arterial system, and the preliminary results from this study suggest that
endovascular stenting also may play an important role in the treatment of
venous and graft stenoses. However, further follow-up and careful patient
selection will have to be done to establish the long-term benefit of this
new procedure.
