Aim
To compare results and complications between bare stents (BS) and covered stents (CS) for the treatment of aortic coarctation.

Methods and patients
Between January 2000 and October 2008, 144 consecutive patients (median age 15 years, range 6-66 years, 64 males) underwent treatment for native (92 pts) or recurrent (52 pts) aortic coarctation. Bare stents were used in 78 patients, while covered stents were used in 66 subjects.

Results
There were no differences for age, gender, native coarctation/recoarctation rate, mean drop of peak systolic gradient, increase of diameter of coarcted segment, mean fluoroscopy and procedure times. Stents were placed in the correct position in all subjects in both groups. Long-sheath used for stent implantation was larger in CS compared to BS (median 12 vs 10 French; p=0.01). Total complication rate was higher in BS (12% vs 0%; p=0.03). The following complications occurred in BS group: early post-procedural death due to acute aortic dissection in 1 patient, stent embolization in 3 subjects, femoral artery pseudo-aneueysm needing vascular surgery in 3 pts, early periaortic hematoma in 1 pt, aneurysm formation during follow-up in 2 subjects. Follow-up was longer for BS (median 38 vs 13 months; p=0.04). A total of 6 subjects (4 in the BS group and 2 subjects in the CS group) needed re-dilation during follow-up. Finally, 10 subjects in BS (14%) and 9 in CS (27%) needed anti-hypertensive drugs during follow-up (p=0.14 ).

Conclusions
Covered Cheatham-Platinum stents appears to be safer that bare metal stents. Long-term follow-up data are needed.