title: Endovascular problem solving with intravascular stents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Intravascular stents are being used with increasing frequency in interventional neuroradiology. They provide the potential to expand the therapeutic capabilities of the endovascular therapist and stand to revolutionize endovascular intervention within both the intracranial and extracranial vessels. We present our application of stent technology to further the understanding of endovascular rescue from procedural complications and the solving of complex clinical problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three patients underwent unplanned placement of intravascular stents. In two patients a stent was used to provide stabilization of an irretrievable intravascular device; in the third patient a stent was used to provide a scaffolding for proximal external carotid sacrifice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stent deployment was successful in all patients. The intravascular devices stabilized by stent placement included unraveled fragments of a Guglielmi detachable coil (GDC) and a partially deployed coronary stent. Proximal external carotid sacrifice was achieved with the aid of a stent in one patient to control hemorrhage from recurrence of laryngeal cancer. No periprocedural neurologic complications were encountered. Six-month follow-up angiography in one patient showed only minimal myointimal hyperplasia induced by stent-stabilized GDC fragments adjacent to the internal carotid vessel wall.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stents can be used to provide stabilization of irretrievable intravascular devices or as a scaffolding for proximal vessel sacrifice. These applications may allow endovascular rescue of procedural complications and solve unique clinical problems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235, USA.
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Pride
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Horowitz
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Purdy
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017542:Aneurysm, Ruptured / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D002339:Carotid Arteries; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000295:instrumentation; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D015607:Stents