title: Endovascular gamma irradiation of the iliac arteries: 1-year results from a clinical safety and feasibility study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate safety and feasibility of vascular brachytherapy in iliac arteries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen patients (11 men; mean age 56.7+/-9.9 years, range 44-81) with occlusive disease in 15 iliac arteries (7 external, 8 common) were treated with balloon dilation followed by irradiation from an iridium 192 source (15 Gy at 3 mm from the inner surface of the artery wall) applied with a PARIS centering catheter and bilateral 10-mm margins. Patients receiving stents for suboptimal angioplasty were prescribed a 6-month course of antiplatelet treatment with ticlopidine. Angiography was routinely scheduled for 6 months after intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no complications of the angioplasty procedure or EVBT treatment; 7 patients received stents for dissection or residual stenosis. Mean follow-up was 12.4+/-6.0 months. At 6-month angiography, 1 (6.7%) restenosis in a common iliac artery stent was found. Another patient with a common iliac artery stent developed transient lower limb ischemia at 4 months, probably due to temporary suspension of antiplatelet treatment and distal disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Brachytherapy in the iliac arteries appears to be feasible and safe; longer follow-up in more patients is needed to determine its clinical utility in the prevention of restenosis.
authors.affiliation: Center of Oncology, Institute, Gliwice, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Walichiewicz
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Piecuch
authors.forename: Brygida
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Białas
authors.forename: Witold
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Orkisz
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fijałkowski
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Slosarek
authors.forename: Leszek
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Miszczyk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000628:therapy; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007083:Iliac Artery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors