Midterm results of renal artery stenting.

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) has become the treatment of choice for major renal artery stenosis. Nonetheless, about 10% of renal artery stenoses cannot be properly dilated, and among the patients successfully dilated, 10%-15% had a recurrence. Renal artery stenting was used in 21 patients in cases of insufficient results after PTA: persisting significant stenosis after a primary or several PTAs (15 cases), recurrences (9 cases). Follow-up in all patients was from 12 months to 4 years. Implantation was performed without any problems but the low radioopacity of the stent makes placement difficult in obese patients, particularly for ostial lesions. There was no major complication except occlusion of a segmental branch of the renal artery in 1 case. Radiological controls have shown a preserved patency in all cases except 2, which present restenosis inside the stent by intimal hyperplasia. A significant clinical improvement was obtained in 90% of cases. These results suggest that the endovascular prosthesis represents an important adjunct to renal PTA.