Heart Disease In The News

Radiation fails to reduce restenosis in new stents
March 20, 2001

Radiation delivered locally within the coronary arteries has been used successfully to prevent restenosis within stents that have already experienced restenosis.  One remaining question has been whether that first episode of restenosis could be prevented by administering radiation within new stents.

In a multi-center study presented on March 18 at the American College of Cardiology scientific sessions in Orlando, investigators report that the risk of restenosis was actually increased by radiating the site at the time the stent was initially placed.  The long-term restenosis seen in this study, interestingly, was not within the stent itself, but at the edges of the area treated with radiation.  These edge-effect obstructions (also called "candy-wrapper lesions" due to their appearance on angiography) is thought to be a technical problem that can eventually overcome.

But for now, this study should put the brakes on the enthusiasm some doctors have expressed for radiating new coronary artery stents.

Full Story

Article on radiation therapy for coronary artery disease