Revascularization of the aortoiliac arteries using stents

: The authors summarised their three year experience with endovascular treatment of the aortoiliac artery obstructive lesions using stents and transluminal angioplasty. Fifty-seven patients (61 limbs) underwent stent implantation to treat claudications (n = 50 limbs), rest pain (n = 6), non-healing defects (n = 4) and one patient was asymptomatic (n = 1). After stent placement patients were followed-up using clinical and duplex ultrasound examinations at 3 months and 6 months thereafter. Immediate angiographic success was achieved in all cases. Three serious complications were observed. Percutaneous reinterventions because of stenosis inside the stent were performed in 7 patients (7 limbs). The primary patency rates were 92% at 1 year, 88% at 2 years and 86% at 3 years. Cumulative primary assisted patency were 98% (mean follow-up 15.8 months, range 3-47 months). Regular clinical and ultrasound follow-up examinations can reveal the asymptomatic instent stenosis and percutaneous reinterventions can improve long-term stent patency.