title: Percutaneous endovascular treatment of chronic iliac artery occlusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical and radiological long-term results of recanalization of chronic occluded iliac arteries with balloon angioplasty and stent placement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-nine occluded iliac arteries (mean length 8.1 cm; range 4-16 cm) in 67 patients were treated by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stent placement. Evaluations included clinical assessment according to Fontaine stages, Doppler examinations with ankle-brachial index (ABI) and bilateral lower extremity arteriograms. Wallstent and Cragg vascular stents were inserted for iliac artery recanalization under local anesthesia. Follow-up lasted 1-83 months (mean 29.5 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Technical success rate was 97.1% (67 of 69). The mean ABI increased from 0.46 to 0.85 within 30 days after treatment and was 0.83 at the most recent follow-up. Mean hospitalization time was 2 days and major complications included arterial thrombosis (3%), arterial rupture (3%) and distal embolization (1%). During follow-up 6% stenosis and 9% thrombosis of the stents were observed. Clinical improvement occurred in 92% of patients. Primary and secondary patency rates were 75% and 95%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The long-term patency rates and clinical benefits suggest that percutaneous endovascular revascularization with metallic stents is a safe and effective treatment for patients with chronic iliac artery occlusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, Institute of Radiology, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Dr. Enéas Carvalho de Aguiar 255, São Paulo 05403-001, Brazil. fcarnevale@uol.com.br
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Carnevale
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Blas
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Merino
authors.forename: Jose M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Egaña
authors.forename: Jose G M P
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Caldas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007083:Iliac Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007902:Length of Stay; D015993:Life Tables; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014654:Vascular Patency