title: Diffuse in-stent restenosis.
abstract: Stent restenosis, especially the diffuse pattern, has developed into a significant clinical and economical problem. It has been estimated that up to 250,000 patients developed in-stent restenosis in 2,000 alone, two thirds of them can be expected to have diffuse in-stent restenosis, which is difficult to treat because of high recurrence rates. None of the conventionally available interventional treatment modalities provides optimal long-term results. Intravascular radiation therapy is currently the only effective percutaneous therapy for combating in-stent restenosis. Late thrombotic complications have largely been eliminated by extended antiplatelet regimens. Geographical miss, a major reason for recurrence of in-stent restenosis after brachytherapy, can be reduced by an improved radiation technique. The first preliminary data on drug-eluting stents, showing only minimal neointimal proliferation at 6-month postimplantation, could represent a major breakthrough in the quest to solve restenosis.
authors.affiliation: Red Cross Hospital Cardiology Center, Pfingstweidstr. 11, 60316 Frankfurt, Germany. kardio.centrum@t-online.de
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Störger
mesh_terms: D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans