[Wa State RN]

Was wondering if anyone out there is doing the new stents yet? We just got ours and they seem to be going well, they are a Johnson and Johnson Cypher stent which has medication in them that prevent restenosis. Looks like they are going for $3195.00 each! The patients have to take blood thinning drugs for three months instead of the two weeks with the "normal" stent and that is because the arteries heal slower after the Cypher insertion.

[CCL"Babe"]

Yep, we're using them. Administration is being very picky about who gets them since the supply is so short. The Docs had been putting off stenting some patients waiting for the new stents to come in. Many of the patients are asking for them. It will be intereesting to see what happens in the future.

[Wa State RN]

so, CCL "babe" where are YOU from? just interested to see what part of the country is actually doing these..........................

[CCL"Babe"]

Philadelphia region.

[Zinnia]

I have heard of them. I try to keep up
from a rural encompassing ICCU.

[FullMoonMadness]

The first one at our hospital was done in April. I understand it is a very expensive procedure, but compared to repeat stenting or maybe even a CABG, they seem cost effective. That aside, Im really excited to see if they really work

[catlabrn]

We're using them as fast as we can get them. The problem is trying to establish exactly how to use them. Yesterday, we used a few in patients who would've gone for CABG just three weeks ago. Some of our docs are discussing using them in left main lesions--which was unheard of a month ago. The problem is availability. The shipments of these things are erratic, and the several dozen we had are already gone.

[BMS4]

We just started using them a couple of weeks ago (about the time this thread was started). We have also had pts put on hold waiting for shipments of the new stent. So far, no has had to wait more than a day.

[susanmary]

This is the biggest breakthrough for interventional cardiology in 25 years! It's very exciting.

[Wa State RN]

It looks like the word is getting around ref; these stents and their usage. They are suppose to be the "in" thing but I have just ran across a patient who was given 3 of these new stents in hopes she wouldn't occlude and guess what? She thrombosed them! Young lady too, but lots of CAD---the diagonol is the part they are just waiting to infarct. interesting case..........