The long-term effects of intracoronary stents in human are unknown. This is the first 9-year follow-up report of single-vessel-disease patients treated with the Palmaz-Schatz stent. Between March and December 1989, out of the 107 patients undergoing Palmaz-Schatz stent implantation, 71 (66%) had single-vessel disease. The average age of these patients was 58+/-9 years and 79% were men. At 9 years, follow-up was obtained for 90.1% and major adverse clinical events consisted of 4 deaths giving a global survival rate of 95.8%, 7 myocardial infarction, 3 bypass surgeries, and 16 repeat percutaneous revascularization procedures. The 9-year event-free survival rate was 60%, and 81.7% of the patients were free from death, myocardial infarction, and bypass surgery. Multivariate analysis showed that the only predictive factor of major adverse clinical events was the presence of diabetes mellitus (P<0.004). Cathet. Cardiovasc. Intervent. 50:170-174, 2000.
Copyright 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.