Direct stenting

Stents have ameliorated the outcome of percutaneous coronary interventions. Improved design, profile and flexibility of the currently available stents now permit to deliver the stent without pre-dilatation. In western European countries, stent implantation now occurs in up to 80% of all percutaneous revascularization procedures. In selected cases the safety and feasibility of direct stenting over conventional balloon-predilatation stenting has been demonstrated, in association with slightly superior outcome. This likely results from reduced vessel watt damage-dissections are seated at the moment they are created-and distal embolization is reduced. In addition, a significant reduction in terms of costs and duration of procedures was demonstrated, white restenosis rate is not reduced with direct stenting. (C) 2003 The European Society of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.