Initial experience with the disarticulated (one-half) Palmaz-Schatz stent: a technical report.

We developed an alternative method to stent suitable lesions located in anatomical settings considered to be too complex for regular Palmaz-Schatz stent placement. This method consists of using a disarticulated (one-half) Palmaz-Schatz stent. Eight patients underwent stenting utilizing this method. The left anterior descending was stented in five patients, the right coronary artery in one patient, the proximal and mid shaft of a vein graft in one patient, and a protected left main coronary artery in one patient. In all patients the stents were placed in addition to full stents. In four patients, 1 1/2 stents were placed; two patients had 2 1/2 stents; one patient had 3 1/2 stents and the last patient had a total of 5 stents placed (1 full stent and 8 half stents). One patient had 8 disarticulated stents placed. All half stents prepared for delivery were successfully deployed to the pre-designated angiographic site without complication.