Iliac artery stent placement relieves claudication in patients with iliac and superficial femoral artery lesions.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of iliac artery stent placement for relief of claudication in patients with both iliac and superficial femoral artery (SFA) lesions.


METHODS
Stent placement for only iliac artery occlusive disease was performed in 94 limbs (74 patients) with both iliac and SFA occlusive disease on the same limb. All procedures were performed because intermittent claudication did not improve after continuation of antiplatelet medication therapy and home-based exercise for 3 months. Rutherford classification was 2 in 20 limbs and 3 in 74 limbs. Patients with critical limb ischemia were excluded. Median duration of follow-up was 40 months. Primary patency rates of the iliac stent, clinical improvement rates, and risk factors for requiring additional SFA procedures were evaluated.


RESULTS
Primary patency rates of the iliac stent at 1, 3, 5, and 7 years were 97, 93, 79, and 79 %, respectively. The initial clinical improvement rate was 87 %. Continued clinical improvement rates at 1, 3, 5, and 7 years were 87, 81, 69, and 66 %, respectively. SFA Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus (TASC) II C/D lesion was a significant risk factor for requiring additional SFA procedures.


CONCLUSIONS
Intermittent claudication was relieved by iliac stent placement in most patients with both iliac and SFA lesions. Thus, the indications for treatment of the SFA intended for claudicants should be evaluated after treatment of the iliac lesion.
Department of Radiology, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara 634-8521, Japan. shigeoichihashi@yahoo.co.jp
Shigeo
S
Ichihashi
Wataru
W
Higashiura
Hirofumi
H
Itoh
Shoji
S
Sakaguchi
Kimihiko
K
Kichikawa
D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D057510:Endovascular Procedures; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery; D006801:Humans; D007083:Iliac Artery; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012307:Risk Factors; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014654:Vascular Patency
D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors