Intracoronary stents.

The use of balloon-expandable intravascular stents in atherosclerotic heart disease is currently being investigated as a feasible alternative/adjunct to more traditional methods of therapy, that is, coronary artery bypass surgery and percutaneous coronary angioplasty. Preliminary results of recent patient studies in the United States and Europe have demonstrated the ability of these stents to effectively maintain vessel patency and to potentially reduce restenosis rates both in peripheral and coronary arteries. Used in conjunction with other techniques (PTCA, laser, atherectomy devices), stents will hopefully increase the safety and long-term effectiveness of treatment of coronary artery disease by nonsurgical methods.