Percutaneous repair of experimental aortic dissections with balloon-expandable stents

The authors evaluate the Medtronic-Wiktor tantalum balloon-expandable stent, which is biocompatible, may be trimmed to desired length, and can be used around curves and across ostia. Experimental aortic dissections were produced in 24 dogs; 12 were controls (group 1) and 12 received stents immediately (group 2). In group 1, one dissection healed spontaneously, three ruptured, and eight persisted and were stented 1 week later. Angiography showed obliteration of the dissection in all 20 dogs (eight in group 1, 12 in group 2). No complications occurred. Long-term follow-up showed complete healing of the stented dissections and hyperplastic neointimal covering of the stents