title: Percutaneous interventions below the knee in patients with critical limb ischemia using drug eluting stents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Midterm technical and clinical evaluation of stent angioplasty with drug-eluting stents in infrapopliteal lesions in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Percutaneous stent angioplasty was performed in 128 limbs in 114 patients presenting with 320 vascular lesions. Lesions with up to 6 cm in length and at least one patent vessel below the obstruction were treated; 341 drug-eluting Cypher(R) stents (diameter of 2.5-3.5 mm; length of 18-33 mm) were implanted. Follow-up examinations were performed up to 18 months postinterventionally using clinical examination, ankle-brachial index (ABI) calculation, and color coded Duplex sonography. Patency rates were calculated on the basis of the Kaplan-Meier life-table analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Technical success was achieved in 99.06%. Minor complications (hematoma, distal emboli, and vessel dissection) were documented in 8.77% of the patients. The 6, 12, and 18 months primary patency rate as controlled by Duplex sonography was 89.8, 84.2 and 83.3%, respectively; 77.6% of the lesions healed postinterventionally. The cumulative limb salvage rate was 95.6%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Drug-eluting stent (DES) angioplasty in infrapopliteal arteries is a safe and effective technique for the treatment of patients with CLI. The use of a DES results in favorable technical and clinical outcome in the midterm follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Catholic Clinic Mainz, Mainz, Germany. balzerjo@t-online.de
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Balzer
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zeller
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rastan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sixt
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Vogl
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lehnert
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016638:Critical Illness; D054855:Drug-Eluting Stents; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D023821:Limb Salvage; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D014654:Vascular Patency
chemical_list: D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D020123:Sirolimus