title: Endovascular stenting for carotid artery stenosis: preliminary experience using the shape-memory- alloy-recoverable-technology (SMART) stent.
abstract: We describe our initial clinical experience using the newly available self-expanding, Nitinol, shape-memory-, alloy-recoverable-technology (SMART) stent in treating carotid artery occlusive disease. Five stents were used in four carotid arteries in four consecutive patients with carotid stenosis of at least 70%. Technical success (<20% residual stenosis) was achieved in all cases. No procedural complications specifically related to use of the SMART stent were encountered. All patients remained symptom-free, with no evidence of transient ischemic attacks or new strokes during an average follow-up period of 6 months. Excellent performance of the SMART stent for the endovascular treatment of carotid artery stenosis has been shown based on our early experience. Validation with greater numbers and longer-term follow-up is required. The specific technical characteristics, potential advantages, and disadvantages of this stent are discussed and compared with other currently used carotid artery stents.
authors.affiliation: Division of Interventional Neurovascular Radiology, University of California San Francisco Medical Center, 94143, USA.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Phatouros
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Higashida
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Malek
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Meyers
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Lempert
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Dowd
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Halbach
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000497:Alloys; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015607:Stents; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000497:Alloys; C013616:nitinol