title: Clinical follow-up in endovascular treatment for TASC C-D lesions in femoro-popliteal segment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate the technical success and clinical follow-up after endovascular treatment of femoropopliteal segment TASC II C and D lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  From July 2002 to February 2007, 234 limbs in 190 patients with femoropopliteal segment TASC II C (n = 112) and D (n = 122) lesions were treated. Endovascular treatment consisted of PTA, fibrinolysis and PTA, subintimal recanalization and PTA, and finally stent graft. Patients were clinically evaluated at 30 days, 3, 6 month, and at 1 year in the outpatient setting with clinical examination and ankle-brachial indices (ABI). In the case of stent placement, additional ultrasound evaluation was performed at 12, 24, and 48 month.
  
  
  RESULTS
  49.5% of procedures were performed on patients with lifestyle-limiting claudication (IC) and 50.5% were performed for critical limb ischemia (CLI). Technical success, defined as successful recanalization and treatment of the occluded vessel, was achieved in 97% of cases. Periprocedural mortality was 3.15% and all deaths occurred in the CLI group. A follow-up 13 +/- 6 months and was achieved in 76%. During the follow-up, clinical outcome for IC group and clinical CLI group was asymptomatic 72% vs. 29.8%, symptomatic with clinical improvement 22% vs. 33.7%, and major amputation 3% vs. 23.3%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of claudicating patients with femoropopliteal TASC II C and D lesions will benefit from the endovascular treatment. Patient presenting CLI have a worse outcome, nevertheless the endovascular treatment can delay amputation, preserving the native vessel and does not impede surgical bypass if needed. For this reason, we consider that endovascular treatment may be the first choice treatment even in femoropopliteal TASC II C and D lesions.
authors.affiliation: Endoluminal Diagnostic and Therapeutic Service, HOSPITEN Group, Tenerife, Spain. jmrabellino@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rabellino
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zander
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baldi
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Garcia Nielsen
authors.forename: F Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Aragon-Sanchez
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zerolo
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Llorens
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maynar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation; D000842:Ankle / Q000098:blood supply; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D007511:Ischemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D011150:Popliteal Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D012042:Registries; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015607:Stents; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014654:Vascular Patency