Purpose: To evaluate the long-term results of stent placement in the renal arteries.
Patients and methods: From January 1990 to August 1994, 59 hypertensive patients underwent 64 stent placement procedures. Indications were residual stenosis after percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty in 42 patients, restenosis in 20 patients, and acute dissection in two patients. Follow-up (mean, 14 months) was obtained in 54 patients. Six-month restenosis rates were based on results of arteriography, and even more long-term patency rates were based on duplex ultrasound.
Results: Technical success was achieved in all patients. Major complications occurred in two patients. No minor or puncture-site complications were observed. The overall 6-month restenosis rate was 1.6% (2.9% for ostial lesions). Survival analysis with the Kaplan-Meier method showed primary and secondary patency rates of 92% +/- 3.6 and 98% +/- 1.9, respectively, at 1 year and 79% +/- 8.8 and 92% +/- 6.1, respectively, at 2 years. Seventy-six percent of hypertensive patients benefited from the procedure. However, renal function was not improved by stent placement.
Conclusion: Stent placement in renal arteries is a useful adjunct to percutaneous transluminal angioplasty for atherosclerotic renal-artery stenoses.