title: Stenting of common iliac vein obstructions combined with regional thrombolysis and thrombectomy in acute deep vein thrombosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of stent placement after infrainguinal loco-regional thrombolysis and iliac thrombectomy (surgical TT) of acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients with May-Thurner-Syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analysed a group of 11 patients (9 women) (mean age 34 years, range 16-64 years) with surgical TT and additional intra-operative stenting due to compression of the common iliac vein. Patients underwent venography to demonstrate outflow patency after surgical TT, and to identify any obstruction at the level of the left-sided common iliac vein ("Beckenvenen-Sporn"). Obstruction at the level of arterial crossing was treated using Wallstents placed via an introducer sheath from the inguinal access site. Stents were fully deployed using balloons adjusted to the size of vein. Patients were treated with oral anticoagulants for 6 months, and followed using duplex ultrasonography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Technical success defined as complete vein patency and normal valve function was documented in all 11 patients. One patient needed early stent extension due to residual stenosis. At 6 months follow-up one patient (9%) had an asymptomatic occlusion of the stented common iliac vein. In all 11/11 (100%) patients the femoral segment was found to be patent, and in 1/11 (9%) there was mild reflux with few clinical symptoms of post-thrombotic syndrome. The calculated cumulative primary patency rate for venous iliac stents was 82%, and assisted patency rate was 91%, which remained unchanged over a mean follow-up of 22 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combining surgical TT and stenting of common iliac vein obstructions in DVT is safe, effective, and results in a acceptable venous patency.
authors.affiliation: Swiss Cardiovascular Center, University Hospital Bern, Switzerland. husmann@gmx.ch
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Husmann
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Heller
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kalka
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Savolainen
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Do
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmidli
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Baumgartner
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation; D005260:Female; D005268:Femoral Vein; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007084:Iliac Vein; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010690:Phlebography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D017131:Thrombectomy / Q000379:methods*; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex; D014654:Vascular Patency; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants