Balloon expandable stents for coarctation of the aorta: current status and technical considerations: case report.
BACKGROUND
Balloon expandable stents have been used to manage coarctation of the aorta (Co) in selected patients with very encouraging results.


METHODS
The authors report here the first group of patients with Co who underwent a successful implantation of the new Palmaz Genesis stent with intermediate term follow up.


RESULTS
There were 5 patients with an age range from 14 to 23 years old. All of them had significant Co and were receiving multiple anti-hypertensive medications. Primary stenting was performed in all patients. All of them had an immediate relief of the gradient. All antihypertensive medications were discontinued immediately in 4 patients. All patients had one year follow up which revealed a minimum gradient. One patient continues to receive oral antihypertensive medication.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with coarctation of the aorta (native or recoarctation of aorta), stent implantation may be a feasible and improved option to relieve the stenosis. Short and mid term followup of these patients have shown encouraging results.
Durongpisitkul
Kritvikrom
K
Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand. sikdr@mahidol.ac.th
Laohaprasitiporn
Duangmanee
D
Chanthong
Prakul
P
Panchavinnin
Pradit
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001017:Aortic Coarctation / Q000628:therapy*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome