Treatment of embolizing arterial lesions with endoluminally placed stent grafts.

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of endovascular stent grafts for the management of embolizing arterial lesions. Eight patients who presented to Barnes-Jewish Hospital between June 2000 and June 2001 with embolizing arterial lesions were treated with covered stents or stent grafts. All hospital records were retrospectively reviewed, and pertinent data extracted. Our results showed that endovascular stent grafts can be used successfully to exclude embolizing arterial lesions without increasing the risk of further embolization. Long-term follow-up will be necessary to assess the durability of this approach to embolizing arterial lesions.