title: Subintimal angioplasty for chronic lower limb arterial occlusion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Subintimal angioplasty (SIA) has become an established percutaneous procedure for the treatment of symptomatic lower limb arterial occlusions in recent years. However, the clinical benefits of this practice remain unclear. The aim of the review was to determine the effectiveness of SIA on clinical outcomes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effectiveness of SIA versus any other treatment for patients with chronic lower limb artery occlusion. This will be determined by the effects on clinical improvement, technical success rate, patency rate, limb salvage rate, and morbidity rates.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Cochrane Peripheral Vascular Diseases Group Trials Search Co-ordinator (TSC) searched the Specialised Register (last searched January 2013) and CENTRAL (2012, Issue 12). Clinical trials databases were also searched.
  
  
  METHODS
  We planned to include data from randomized controlled trials comparing the effectiveness of SIA and any other management method in the treatment of chronic lower limb arterial occlusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two authors evaluated the trials identified from the searches for appropriateness of inclusion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no randomized controlled trials in which SIA was compared with any other treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Randomized controlled trial evidence for the effectiveness of SIA is lacking. There is a need for high-quality randomized controlled trials comparing SIA with any other treatment.
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, ShengJing Hospital of China Medical University, ShenYang, China. liuzy1226@126.com
authors.forename: Zhi Hui
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Zhao Yu
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D017130:Angioplasty / Q000379:methods*; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000098:blood supply*; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D017539:Tunica Intima