Angioplasty with or without stent placement in the brachiocephalic artery: feasible and durable? A retrospective cohort study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the results of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) and stent placement in isolated brachiocephalic trunk lesions.


METHODS
PTA, with or without stent placement, was used to treat 30 patients with isolated clinically significant stenoses (n = 25) or occlusions (n = 5) of the brachiocephalic artery. Initial clinical success was defined as a relief or substantial reduction of the preprocedural symptoms, and initial technical success was defined as a mean translesion pressure gradient of less than 5 mm Hg or a residual stenosis of less than 20%. Clinical evaluation and duplex Doppler ultrasonography of the lesion site were performed at follow-up. Clinical restenosis was defined as recurrent clinical symptoms and a lumen reduction of more than 50%, determining the primary clinical patency. Technical restenosis was defined as more than 50% lumen reduction with or without renewed clinical symptoms, determining the primary technical patency.


RESULTS
The initial technical success rate was 83% (occlusions, 60%; stenoses, 88%), and the clinical success rate was 81%. Two patients had major complications, and four experienced minor complications. At a median follow-up of 24 months (4 weeks to 92 months), the primary clinical patency rate was 79% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 57%, 104%), with 83% (95% CI: 60%, 105%) for arteries with stents and 67% (95% CI: 13%, 120%) for those without stents (P = .11). The primary technical patency rate was 50% (95% CI: 24%, 76%).


CONCLUSIONS
PTA with or without stent placement in a stenotic or occlusive brachiocephalic artery is a procedure of tolerable safety with a high initial success rate; however, only moderately rewarding results were obtained after 2 years. Selective stent placement probably improves long-term success. Primary PTA with selective stent placement in an atherosclerotic obstructive brachiocephalic artery should be considered the preferred treatment option.
van Hattum
Eline S
ES
Department of Vascular Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands. e.vanhattum@umcutrecht.nl
de Vries
Jean-Paul P M
JP
Lalezari
Ferry
F
van den Berg
Jos C
JC
Moll
Frans L
FL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D016122:Brachiocephalic Trunk / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome