PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Phatouros, Constantine C.
AU  - Higashida, Randall T.
AU  - Malek, Adel M.
AU  - Meyers, Philip M.
AU  - Lempert, Todd E.
AU  - Dowd, Christopher F.
AU  - Halbach, Van V.
TI  - Endovascular Stenting for Carotid Artery Stenosis: Preliminary Experience Using the Shape-memory–Alloy-recoverable–technology (SMART) Stent
DP  - 2000 Apr 01
TA  - American Journal of Neuroradiology
PG  - 732--738
VI  - 21
IP  - 4
4099  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/21/4/732.short
4100  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/21/4/732.full
SO  - Am. J. Neuroradiol.2000 Apr 01; 21
AB  - Summary: We describe our initial clinical experience using the newly available self-expanding, Nitinol, shape-memory–, alloy-recoverable–technology (SMART) stent in treating carotid artery occlusive disease. Five stents were used in four carotid arteries in four consecutive patients with carotid stenosis of at least 70%. Technical success (<20% residual stenosis) was achieved in all cases. No procedural complications specifically related to use of the SMART stent were encountered. All patients remained symptom-free, with no evidence of transient ischemic attacks or new strokes during an average follow-up period of 6 months. Excellent performance of the SMART stent for the endovascular treatment of carotid artery stenosis has been shown based on our early experience. Validation with greater numbers and longer-term follow-up is required. The specific technical characteristics, potential advantages, and disadvantages of this stent are discussed and compared with other currently used carotid artery stents.