The Impact of the Second Generation Everolimus-eluting Stent in Daily Clinical Practice

Clinical studies with first-generation sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) and paclitaxel- eluting stents (PES) have demonstrate a dramatic reduction in restenosis rates compared with bare-metal stents (BMS)1,2, however, reintervention rates were still high in patients with complex coronary artery disease3, and an ongoing propensity for stent thrombosis (ST) beyond one year raised further concerns regarding safety issues with these devices4. Furthermore, as both of these devices were relatively high-profile stainless steel stents, they were difficult to deliver in complex anatomy, and the SES in particular was prone to a high fracture rate, contributing to late adverse events. The everolimus-eluting stent (EES), (XIENCE V, Abbott Vascular, CA, USA; also distributed as the PROMUS stent by Boston Scientific, MA, USA) is a secondgeneration drug-eluting stent (DES) designed to overcome the limitations of earlier DES.