title: Non-randomized, prospective, multi-centre evaluation of the ABSOLUTE .035 peripheral self-expanding stent system for occluded or stenotic superficial femoral or proximal popliteal arteries (ASSESS Trial): acute and 30-day results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the paper was to investigate the performance of the ABSOLUTE .035 Peripheral Self-Expanding Stent System in preventing restenosis of superficial femoral or proximal popliteal arteries. Due to a lack of large controlled trials proving its long-term durability femoropopliteal artery stenting is still a matter of debate. In this paper we report the study design, the acute and short-term results of a prospective European registry on the treatment of TASC B and C femoropopliteal lesions with the use of the ABSOLUTE stent.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective, non-randomized, multi-centre study enrolled 122 patients with symptomatic peripheral occlusive disease at 14 sites in Europe. Patients were included with obstructed femoropopliteal arteries. Key inclusion criteria were de novo lesions > or = 4.0 mm and < or = 7.0 mm in diameter, and > or = 40 mm and < or = 200 mm in length. Single target vessel treatment had to be performed with a maximum of three stents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean target lesion length was 108 +/- 44 mm (range 22.2 to 200 mm) and mean reference vessel diameter 4.6 +/- 0.8 mm by quantitative angiography; 71% of the lesions analyzable by quantitative angiography (QA) had total occlusions. A total of 227 stents were implanted, 224 of which were deployed successfully (98.7%). Mean percentage of diameter stenosis was reduced from 90.9 +/- 15.5 % (range 41.3 to 100) to 19.0 +/- 8.4% (range 2.3 to 41.5). Device and procedural success were 83.6% each whereas technical success reached 100%. Sixteen lesions had a > or = 30% residual stenosis post-procedure, 6 of them (37.5%) rated as being calcified. Eleven patients experienced major complications (9.1%) and 6 patients experienced minor complications (5%) within 30 days. Duplex ultrasound based 1-month restenosis rate was 9.3%. Target lesion revascularization (TLR) and target vessel revascularization (TVR) rates were 0.8% and 1.7%, respectively and amputation rate was 0.8%. Mean ankle-brachial index (ABI) at rest and after exercise increased significantly from baseline to 30 days follow-up by 0.63 +/- 0.20 to 0.94 +/- 0.17 and from 0.44 +/- 0.23 to 0.85 +/- 0.21, respectively (P<0.001 each).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The treatment of TASC B and C femoro-popliteal lesions with use of the ABSOLUTE stent is safe and feasible. Short-term follow-up documents persistent improvement of hemodynamics. The 6- and 12-month data have to be awaited for further conclusions:
authors.affiliation: Department of Angiology, Herz-Zentrum Bad Krozingen, Bad Krozingen, Germany. thomas.zeller@herzzentrum.de
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zeller
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saratzis
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scheinert
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Minar
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Beregi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schillinger
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Hausegger
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amor
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Quaretti
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moratto
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dorange
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Boone
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Krankenberg
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000497:Alloys; D000792:Angiography; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011150:Popliteal Artery; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000497:Alloys; C013616:nitinol