[Treatment of arterial femoropopliteal obstructions with Palmaz midsize stents].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate effectiveness, success and patency rates after endovascular treatment with mid-size Palmaz stents in high-grade stenoses or short-distance occlusions of femoral arteries.


METHODS
27 patients with 10 occlusions (average length 3.2 +/- 1.4 cm) and 17 severe stenoses of the superficial femoral artery were treated with 33 mid-size Palmaz stents. The follow-up included Doppler ultrasound at one, three, 6 and 12 months and an angiography at 6 months. Mean follow-up was 6.5 months.


RESULTS
Technical success was 100%. The ankle-brachial index improved from 0.57 +/- 0.28 pretreatment to 0.87 +/- 0.13 within 24 hours. Acute stent thrombosis occurred in two patients (< 3 weeks). Angiography at 6 months revealed restenosis rates of 7.4% (> 50%, n = 2). Life-table analysis according to Kaplan-Meier revealed 6-month primary and secondary patency rates of 84% and 91%.


CONCLUSIONS
With regard to our limited data, the implantation of mid-size Palmaz stents in femoral arteries seems promising in treatment of short-distance occlusions and stenoses of the femoral artery.
Klinik für Radiologische Diagnostik der Christian-Albrechts-Universität, Kiel.
S
S
Müller-Hülsbeck
H
H
Schwarzenberg
J C
JC
Steffens
U
U
Kopp
J
J
Link
D
D
Kutzner
C C
CC
Glüer
M
M
Heller
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011150:Popliteal Artery; D012008:Recurrence; D015607:Stents; D013997:Time Factors