title: Use of covered stents in the management of coarctation of the aorta.
abstract: We report our experience with the use of covered stents for the management of coarctation of the aorta. From December 2001 to March 2004, nine patients (seven males; median age, 31 years; mean weight, 65 +/- 15 kg) underwent implantation. Indications included critical or atretic native coarctation (n = 4), patients >50 years of age (n = 2), associated patent ductus arteriosus (n = 1) or adjacent aneurysm (n = 1), and the presence of a circumferential fracture within a previously implanted stent (n = 1). The covered balloon-expandable Cheatham-Platinum stent and the self-expandable stent graft Braile were employed. Adequate implantation was observed in all patients. Gradients were reduced from 54 +/- 14 to 3 +/- 8 mmHg and the coarctation site increased from 2.4 +/- 2.9 to 15.9 +/- 4.3 mm. The patent ductus arteriosus was immediately closed and the aneurysm excluded. Two patients >35 years with aneurysmal ascending aorta and metallic aortic prosthesis had aneurysm formation at follow-up, with one undergoing aneurysm exclusion using a Braile stent. Although covered stents are useful in the management of selected patients with coarctation, aneurysm formation may still occur in patients with markers of aortic wall weakness. Refinements in the deployment technique and/or the stent design are needed to eliminate this risk.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Catheterization Laboratory, Instituto Dante Pazzanese de Cardiologia, Av Dr Dante Pazzanese 500 14 andar, CEP 04012-180, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. carlosacpedra@hotmail.com
authors.forename: C A C
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Pedra
authors.forename: V F
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Fontes
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Esteves
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Arrieta
authors.forename: S L N
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Braga
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Justino
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kambara
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: J E R
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Sousa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001017:Aortic Coarctation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001027:Aortography; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002648:Child; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene