title: Primary utilization of stents in angioplasty of superficial femoral artery.
abstract: Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of infrainguinal arteries has been frequently reported in the literature. Independent of the technical feasibility, the results, in short-and long-term follow-up differ among published series. The objective of this article was to assess the long-term results of angioplasty in small, (<3 cm) segmental lesions of the superficial femoral artery treated with primary stenting. Eighteen patients (12 men, 6 women) with lesions of the superficial femoral artery smaller than 3 cm were selected for endovascular treatment and follow-up. The median patient age was 65 years (range, 54 to 84). The indication for treatment was intermittent claudication in 7 patients and critical ischemia (ischemic pain associated with trophic lesions) in 11 patients (62%). Of these, 13 lesions were stenoses and 5 total occlusions. The run-off was good in 15 patients who had more than 2 distal arteries and 3 had only 1 patent artery. During follow-up, all patients were observed with physical examination, progressive exercise treadmill test; pulse volume was measured with Doppler and duplex scan after 1, 3, and 6 months, and then twice a year. There was only 1 primary failure; the initial success rate was 94%. During follow-up of 40 months (6 to 70 months), only 1 patient presented with thrombosis of the stent 6 months after the procedure. There was no symptomatic restenosis in our study. One patient suffered an acute myocardial infraction after 45 months and died. The primary patency after 1 and 3 years was 88%. No patient was lost to follow-up. Primary stenting of segmental lesions (less than 3 cm) of the superficial femoral artery produced satisfactory results immediately and during long-term follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Rua Bento de Andrade 586, Jardim Paulistano, São Paulo-SP, CEP 04503-001, Brazil. nwolosker@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wolosker
authors.forename: Lívio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Marcia Maria Morales
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Anacleto
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Puech-Leão
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D015607:Stents; D013995:Time; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014654:Vascular Patency / Q000502:physiology