Intravascular stents

Intravascular stents have been developed to address acute arterial closure and restenosis, the major limitations of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Metallic stents in human clinical trials have shown efficacy in treating acute closure and, in selected patients, lowering the restenosis rate. This review delineates the characteristics of the ideal stent and examines ongoing clinical trials that are evaluating various stent prototypes. Developmental stents that use radiopaque and bioabsorbable materials are presented. The potential role for intravascular stents as vehicles for localized drug delivery and gene therapy is discussed.