Stent evolution for peripheral arterial disease.

Endovascular treatment and stent implantation for peripheral arterial disease have been proposed for over 20 years. However, the first experiments with stainless stents were relatively disappointing. The first improvement consisted in the introduction of nitinol self-expanding stents. This technology allowed an initial improvement of clinical performances, but the first generation of nitinol stents demonstrated a relatively high rate of fractures. Better knowledge of arterial biomechanics and advances in technology allowed to propose a second generation of nitinol stents with improved flexibility, which decreased the rates of fracture. In-stent restenosis related to neointimal hyperplasia has also led to the development of new concepts to improve patency rates after stenting: drug-eluting stents (coated-stents), biodegradable stents, and covered stents. These technologies will help to treat more complex lesions in the future, but we are still waiting for results of ongoing studies.