Current endovascular management of atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis.
The recent advances in stent technology and renal endovascular management have provided a technically reproducible method of percutaneously treating atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (RAS). In many centers, this has resulted in endovascular management being the primary therapy for atherosclerotic RAS. Although still controversial, it appears that endovascular management of RAS by primay stent deployment provides better blood pressure control than that afforded by best medical management. The impact on renal function is less than that found for hypertension, but there is evidence to suggest that the use of protection devices and primary stenting may enhance renal function outcomes. Whether the ultimate benefit of enhanced survival follows remains an important question and should be the subject of future prospective studies.
Rao
Rajeev K
RK
Division of Vascular Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033-4612, USA.
Hood
Douglas B
DB
Weaver
Fred A
FA
D017130:Angioplasty / Q000379:methods; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000150:complications*; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D012078:Renal Artery Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D015607:Stents