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Stents frequently are used for the percutaneous treatment of lesions in saphenous vein grafts (SVGs). However, such use is associated with a high risk for distal thrombus embolization (resulting in MI) and with a lower benefit in reducing restenosis than that typically obtained with stent placement in native coronary arteries.
In this multicenter study from Germany, investigators report results obtained with polytetrafluoroethylene-membrane-covered expandable stents in 125 de novo SVG lesions (in 109 consecutive patients). The average age of the treated grafts was 11 years; 21 lesions (17 percent) showed angiographically visible thrombotic debris.
Although initial stent placement was successful in all but 1 patient, subacute stent thrombosis …