title: Primary stenting for complex atherosclerotic plaques in aortic and iliac stenoses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of primary stenting for complex atherosclerotic plaques in aortic and iliac stenoses that are not amenable to balloon angioplasty alone.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen patients with complex atherosclerotic plaques were treated with a Palmaz stent (n = 19), Wallstent (n = 1), Strecker stent (n = 1), or Memotherm stent (n = 1). A total of 22 stenoses presenting with complex plaque morphology including ulcerated plaques, ulcerated plaques with focal aneurysms, plaques with heavy calcification, severely eccentric plaques, plaques with overhanging edge, and plaques with spontaneous dissection were stented. The lesions were in the aorta (n = 1), common iliac artery (n = 19), or external iliac artery (n = 2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immediate angiography after stent placement revealed restoration of patency of the stented segment. Focal aneurysms and ulcerated areas were occluded in the follow-up angiographies obtained 4-12 weeks after the procedure. In one case with poor distal runoff and multiple complex lesions of the iliac artery, subacute occlusion occurred. Clinical and angiographic follow-up (3-46 months) revealed patency of all other stented segments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Primary stenting is an effective and reliable approach for complex plaques in stenoses. Patency of the arterial segment with a smooth lumen can be created without the risk of acute complications such as distal embolization, dissection, or occlusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Onal
authors.forename: E T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Ilgit
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yücel
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ozbek
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vural
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akpek
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017130:Angioplasty / Q000295:instrumentation*; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007083:Iliac Artery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014654:Vascular Patency