[Stenting of failing above-knee femoropopliteal percutaneous transluminal angioplasty].
BACKGROUND
Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) is increasingly used in the treatment of stenoses and short occlusions of the superficial femoral and proximal popliteal arteries. Routine treatment with arterial stents does not seem to improve the results compared to PTA without stent but the efficacy of stenting as a repair procedure of a failing PTA is not known.


METHODS
In our hospital, intraluminal arterial stenting of the above knee femoropopliteal segment has been used as a repair procedure when PTA alone fails because of dissection or recoil. From 1995 to 2001, 264 above-knee femoropopliteal PTAs were performed in 203 patients. Fifteen procedures were considered failures; these cases are reported in this study.


RESULTS
Arterial stents were successfully implanted in all fifteen patients. One year postoperatively, five stents had occluded, seven reconstructions were still patent. Three patients could not be followed up; they were diseased at the time of the study.


CONCLUSIONS
In spite of the limited patency achieved, intraluminal arterial stenting in the above-knee femoropopliteal segment can be useful as a repair procedure when PTA alone fails.
Pedersen
Gustav
G
Karkirurgisk Seksjon, Kirurgisk Avdeling, Haukeland Universitetssykehus, Bergen. gustav.pedersen@helse-bergen.no
Laxdal
Elin
E
Wirsching
Jan
J
Aune
Steinar
S
D000368:Aged; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011150:Popliteal Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D011859:Radiography; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome