Endovascular stenting for aortic coarctation

Surgery had been the traditional treatment for native coarctation of the aorta, one of the most common cardiovascular congenital malformations. As a less invasive mode of treatment, balloon angioplasty has emerged as an alternative to surgery but has not gained universal acceptance due to its rates of restenosis secondary to vessel recoil and concerns over aortic wall injury resulting in aneurysm formation. To overcome these problems, endovascular stents were introduced in the management of this condition. The early- and intermediate-term results are encouraging, with low rates of restenosis and complications. In this article, the authors review the current evidence on coarctation stenting and discuss future trends in this area.