Pulmonary artery stents: Past, present and future

Stents can be used to treat many forms of congenital heart disease, however, the majority of use remains in the pulmonary arterial system. Initial experimental work in the 1990's proved that stents were an effective means for treating pulmonary artery stenosis. Subsequent experience demonstrated ways to overcome the limitations of small children, bifurcating stenoses, jailed side branches and the ways to cope with potential complications. We review the use of stents to rehabilitate the pulmonary arterial tree and outline the acute and long-term results. Finally, we discuss the potential improvements and opportunities with bioabsorbable stents and other future directions for bare metal stents as well.