Outcome of "kissing stents" for aortoiliac atherosclerotic disease, including the effect on the non-diseased contralateral iliac limb.
OBJECTIVE
To assess outcomes following "kissing stents" for aortoiliac atherosclerotic disease, particularly in the non-diseased/non-symptomatic limb.


METHODS
Twenty-four patients underwent kissing stenting over 36 months. There were 36 symptomatic and 12 non-symptomatic/non-diseased limbs. Patients were prospectively followed with 3-monthly clinical assessment as well as duplex ultrasound.


RESULTS
At 23.5 months follow-up (range 3-36 months), 75% of patients had improvement in symptoms, 20% no change and 5% had deterioration. Sixty-one percent of limbs maintained an increase in ankle-brachial pressure index of >0.1. There were 15 reinterventions in nine patients, including three in non-symptomatic/non-diseased limbs. Primary patency at 6, 12 and 24 months was 94%, 81% and 58%, respectively. Primary assisted and secondary patency rates were 96%, 84% and 84% respectively for diseased limbs, and 92% and 100% for non-symptomatic/non-diseased limbs. Although reinterventions were required, there were no long-term occlusions in the non-diseased/non-symptomatic limb.


CONCLUSIONS
Kissing stents offer an invaluable alternative to surgery. There were no long-term occlusions following kissing stents in a previously non-symptomatic/non-diseased limb.
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007083:Iliac Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D019233:Retreatment; D015607:Stents; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014654:Vascular Patency