Primary stenting for a focal lesion of the infrarenal aorta

Endovascular procedures are frequently used as alternatives to surgical bypass in aortic atherosclerotic lesions. We report two rare cases of chronic total occlusion of the infrarenal aorta treated with the implantation of an endoluminal stent. The patients were a 49-year-old man, and a 68-year-old man. They presented with severe bilateral claudication. Angiography revealed total occlusion and severe stenosis of the infrarenal abdominal aorta and normal iliac and femoropopliteal vessels. Initially, endovascular treatment was technically and clinically successful in both patients. Palmaz stent was deployed in the infrarenal aortic lesions for both cases. Completion angiography showed successful recanalization of the aorta without any complication and with satisfactory distal flow. Palpable distal pulses were restored, and the patient's symptoms were alleviated. They remained asymptomatic after aortic stent implantation. Primary stenting may be considered a viable alternative to conventional surgery in properly selected patients with a focal lesion in the infrarenal aorta.