The History of Coronary Stenting

Abstract

The history of coronary angioplasty began with the groundbreaking work of Andreas Grüntzig, who was the first to use balloon-expandable catheters for the treatment of flow-limiting atherosclerotic coronary artery lesions. Thereafter, early investigators tested self-expanding springs as a solution to abrupt closure and restenosis seen with balloon angioplasty but these devices suffered from difficult delivery and a high complication rate. Julio Palmaz and Richard Schatz introduced the first balloon-expandable stent as a mechanical support to improve vessel patency. Their pioneering work launched a new era in the treatment of coronary artery disease.

Keywords: Coronary angioplasty; Coronary stents; Interventional cardiology; Palmaz-Schatz stent.