Implantation of stents covered by autologous arterial grafts in human coronary arteries: a new technique.
A renewed interest in radial artery conduits for bypass surgery has emerged during the last few years. In order to combine a surgical with a percutaneous technique, stents were covered by radial arterial grafts. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of, and the immediate and long-term results after, intracoronary implantation of stents covered by autologous arterial grafts.


METHODS
A graft was removed from the radial artery. A conventional stent was then covered by the arterial graft. The autologous arterial graft was stabilized on the stent by sutures. Fifteen covered stents were implanted in 15 patients (56.1 +/- 17.3 years old) in all coronary vessels.


RESULTS
The procedure of stent covering was feasible and short in duration. Procedural success was 100% with no in-hospital stent thrombosis, Q-wave myocardial infarction or death. In 14 patients (93.3%), including the patients with clinical restenosis, a repeat angiography was performed (minimum lumen diameter immediately after procedure: 3.01 +/- 0.22 mm, at follow-up: 2.56 +/- 0.90 mm). Target lesion revascularization was required in 2 patients. The event-free survival rate at 2 years was 87%.


CONCLUSIONS
Intracoronary implantation of stents covered by an autologous arterial graft may be performed safely with excellent long-term results. A multicenter study is required to assess the efficacy.
Stefanadis
C
C
9 Tepeleniou Str., Paleo Psychico, Athens, 15452, Greece.
Toutouzas
K
K
Tsiamis
E
E
Kallikazaros
I
I
Stratos
C
C
Vlachopoulos
C
C
Vavuranakis
M
M
Toutouzas
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000379:methods*; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000637:transplantation*; D011859:Radiography; D015607:Stents; D015996:Survival Rate; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D019737:Transplants
D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible