Fig. 3.

Illustrative comparison of stent deployment for the Wingspan (A-E) and Credo (A, F-H) systems. In the Wingspan stent, we first advanced a microwire through the stenosis (A), followed by a microcatheter (B), and then the microwire was exchanged for a 300-cm long wire. We then exchanged the microcatheter with a Gateway PTA balloon catheter and performed angioplasty (C). The PTA balloon catheter was then changed for a Wingspan stent (D), and the unsheathed technique was used to deploy at the stenosis site (E). A total of four device passages through the atherosclerotic plaque were needed. In the Credo system, the microwire was advanced through the stenosis (A), followed by a Neurospeed PTA balloon catheter, and angioplasty was performed (F). The microwire was then exchanged for a Credo stent inside the original PTA balloon catheter (G), and deployment was performed via the unsheathing technique (H). Two device passages occurred during Credo stent deployment. The number in the black circle indicates the number of devices that passed through the plaque. PTA, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty.