Use of endovascular stents in the peripheral circulation.

The concept of transluminal treatment of vascular obstruction by the percutaneous approach was introduced by Dotter and Judkins, in 1964. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) developed rapidly into an extremely important therapeutic modality for relieving symptomatic obstructions in major arteries. However, it was not until 1969 that Dotter reported the successful placement of coiled stainless steel wire endarterial tube grafts, with the aid of a catheter, into the popliteal arteries of dogs. This procedure stimulated the worldwide development and clinical application of endovascular stenting.