In the treatment of brachiocephalic and subclavian venous obstruction, stent placement shows excellent technical results and helps preserve vascular access for a substantial period. Multiple repeat interventions are, however, frequently required to maintain patency.

Primary stent placement should be the treatment of choice in unilateral chronic iliac artery occlusion.

Diffusion-weighted spin-echo, fat-suppressed spin-echo, and stimulated-echo sequences are equally suitable for imaging of the spine. Calculation of signal attenuation and observation of signal characteristics allowed differentiation of benign fracture edema and tumor infiltration and provided excellent distinction between benign and malignant vertebral fractures in our series.

Stent placement in hemodialysis fistulas helps treat lesions that cannot be adequately treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) alone but has a follow-up patency rate similar to that of PTA. Standard central venous stents have a better patency rate than after PTA.

To evaluate percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) with a cutting balloon performed in stenosed hemodialysis fistulas and grafts, 19 venous lesions in 15 patients were treated with a cutting balloon with an inflated diameter of 3-6 mm. The grade of stenosis ranged from 40% to 90% (mean, 65% +/- 15 [standard deviation]). Cutting PTA was performed before conventional PTA in seven patients and was followed with conventional PTA with larger balloons in seven patients. The balloon expanded completely in all patients, and no balloon waist remained. The mean grade of stenosis decreased to 14% +/- 9. Cutting PTA increased the technical success of balloon dilation of hemodialysis fistulas and grafts.