Redilation of e-PTFE covered CP stents.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the possibility to redilate covered Cheatham-Platinum stents during follow-up, in particular in growing children with aortic coarctation.

BACKGROUND: There are no data in the literature about the redilation of ePTFE covered CP stents.

METHODS: Sixty covered CP stents were implanted in patients with aortic coarctation or recoarctation between January 2004 and October 2007. Seven patients (mean age 14.2 +/- 3.7 years) needed to repeat the hemodynamic study due to somatic growth and increase of aortic gradient with the occurrence of systemic hypertension. Two had near-atretic aortic coarctation, three had postsurgical recoarctation and aneurysm formation, one had native aortic coarctation associated with aneurysm of the arterial wall, and one had severe native aortic coarctation.

RESULTS: Procedures were performed a mean of 20 +/- 5 months (range, 12-24 months) after the primary stent implantation. Fluoroscopy time ranged between 7 and 15 min (median, 10 min) whereas procedure time ranged between 60 and 75 min (median, 65 min). After redilation the gradient across the stenosis decreased from a median value of 35 mm Hg to a median value of 5 mm Hg. The stent diameter increased of 20-50% the predilation value. No complications occurred and angiographic controls showed that the stenoses have been relieved.

FOLLOW-UP: During a median follow-up of 12 months (6-30 months) the results were stable without complications.

CONCLUSION: Covered Cheatham-Platinum stents can be easily redilated.