Indications and use of the Palmaz-Schatz coronary stent.

Restenosis prevention has been the 'holy grail' of contemporary interventional cardiology. Even though balloon angioplasty has become the standard treatment for ischemic syndromes, it is still plagued by a definite incidence of restenosis. This recidivism has prompted the search for newer, catheter-based modalities of treatment to address this issue. The proliferation of newer devices for intervention has increased the number of options for the interventional cardiology; however, until recently, none has had a significant impact on restenosis. The randomized trials (STRESS and BENESTENT) have both shown a significant reduction in angiographic restenosis with the Palmaz-Schatz stent in de novo coronary lesions. Nonrandomized trials suggest additional benefit in saphenous vein bypass grafts.