[Stents in peripheral arterial occlusive diseases (PAOD)].

Stent angioplasty has become a routine procedure in endovascular therapy. The indication must be evaluated in direct comparison with balloon angioplasty and vascular surgery. Technical and clinical success rates in various vascular regions must be considered as well as the costs induced by stent implantation. Stents for iliac artery disease are indicated after failed or complicated balloon angioplasty. If accepted indications for endovascular treatment are closely followed, we can expect a stent rate of approximately 40%. For the femoropopliteal segment stent angioplasty is only acceptable for very selected cases, mostly severe dissections; stenting of these vessels is not generally accepted. This review summarizes indications, technical and clinical success rates of stent angioplasty for peripheral arterial disease.