Results of a national, multisite comparison of surgical, stent, and balloon angioplasty (BA) treatment of native coarctation suggest that acute complications are significantly lower for those receiving stents than for those undergoing surgery or BA. When compared with BA patients, surgical and stent patients achieved superior hemodynamic and integrated aortic arch imaging outcomes at both short-term and intermediate follow-up. The authors noted, however, that stent patients were most likely to require planned reinterventions.

Abstract: Journal of the American College of Cardiology, December 13, 2011.

Author