CIS Becomes First in Louisiana to Implant Zilver Vena Venous Stent

Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Pradeep Nair at Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) has been the first in Louisiana to use the Zilver “Vena” Venous Self-Expanding Stent to treat iliac vein blockages which are located in the abdomen. 

“For most venous stents currently in use, the delivery sheath required is what we call a 9-French or greater in size,” Dr. Nair explained, “In addition to Zilver Vena’s enhanced flexibility and kink resistance, the smaller 7-French delivery system makes this stent particularly attractive for venous stenting. When sized appropriately by intravascular ultrasound, the Zilver Vena stent is quite easy to deliver and deploy within the target lesion.”

The Zilva Vena is manufactured by Cook Medical. It is a self-expanding stent that is used in patients suffering from deep venous obstruction, which occurs when the veins become blocked or narrowed. This causes restricted blood flow to the heart. In the specific case, the patient suffered from May-Thurner’s Syndrome, which left the left iliac vein compressed by the right common iliac artery. The compression causes scar tissue to build up in the vessel wall narrowing the vein. The implanted Zilver Vena expands to restore the venous flow and was designed to balance flexibility and strength. It is flexible so that it can conform to a patient’s anatomy while it provides sufficient lumen expansion to restore venous flow. Symptoms of venous disease may include leg swelling, leg pain, pr cramping, ulcers, discoloration, or restless legs. If left untreated, patients may experience extreme leg pain, loss of mobility, or more severe complications such as pulmonary embolism (blood clots that migrate to the lungs), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or tissue scarring.