The lunar stent characteristics and clinical results.

One of the frequent long-term complications after stent implantation is restenosis due to the building up of a neointima within the artery, as well as endovascular hyperplasia (tissue growth). The interesting feature of the Lunar stent from Inflow Dynamics is that it is coated with a layer of iridium oxide. The iridium oxide coating is believed to reduce restenosis by decreasing the inflammatory response to the stent via its antioxidant action. The MOONLIGHT (Multicenter Objective ObservatioNal Lunar Iridiumoxide intimal GrowtH Trial) study was carried out to evaluate the immediate outcome and long-term angiographic success after implantation of Lunar stents. Between March 2001 and November 2001, 87 patients with 99 lesions were enrolled in this study and were treated with 12 and 16 mm long iridium-oxide coated Lunar stents. Delivery of the Lunar stent was successful in most lesions and the optimal radiopacity facilitated optimal stent positioning with optimal immediate clinical and angiographic results is an unselected patient and lesion population. Preliminary clinical and angiographic follow-up show a low rate of cardiac events at 6 months (16.1% MACE) and a moderate hyperplastic response.