Clinical and angiographic follow-up after overlapping implantation of polytetrafluoroethylene covered stents with drug eluting stents.

Unlabelled: Polytetrafluoroethylene-covered stents (PCS) were recently proposed as a new modality mainly for the treatment of saphenous vein graft lesions, but restenosis occurring principally at the edges restricted their clinical use in the management of coronary aneurysms and perforations.

Aims: To investigate the safety and effectiveness of the overlapping implantation of drug-eluting stents (DES) with PCS in clinical scenarios where the latter are indicated.

Methods: Since April 2002, when DES were introduced in clinical practice, 14 consecutive patients were -treated with overlapping implantation of PCS with DES in 3 centres.

Incidence and management of intermittent claudication in primary care in The Netherlands.

Objective: To study the incidence and management of intermittent claudication in primary care.

Design: In a longitudinal survey among 161 general practitioners (GPs) all incident diagnoses of intermittent claudication (IC) were selected and available information on GP management was studied.

Setting: Dutch National Survey of Morbidity and Interventions in General Practice.