Drug-eluting stents in superficial femoral artery treatment: could they be the standard of care?

J Cardiovasc Surg (Torino). 2016 Dec;57(6):806-810. Epub 2016 Sep 20.

Abstract

Endovascular techniques have improved markedly over the past several decades. Plain old balloon angioplasty can only reach patencies around 40% after 1 year. Scaffolding stents have resulted in improved short-term results but encountered limitations for longer-term durability. With the introduction of drug-eluting technologies the process of intimal hyperplasia might be slowed, resulting in improved long-term patency results. At first, limus-eluting technologies were not able to transfer the enthusiasm from the coronaries to the infrainguinal vascular bed. However, the newer generation paclitaxel-eluting technologies perform significantly better in femoropopliteal arteries than their non-eluting or non-coated counterparts. The results of a prospective randomized trial comparing DES versus DCB is eagerly awaited. For the moment there seems, based on the meta-analysis, no difference between the two treatment modalities. Although, we need to keep in mind that DCB perform worse in long calcified lesions.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cardiovascular Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Coated Materials, Biocompatible / standards*
  • Constriction, Pathologic
  • Drug-Eluting Stents / standards*
  • Endovascular Procedures / adverse effects
  • Endovascular Procedures / instrumentation*
  • Endovascular Procedures / standards*
  • Femoral Artery* / diagnostic imaging
  • Femoral Artery* / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Peripheral Arterial Disease / diagnostic imaging
  • Peripheral Arterial Disease / physiopathology
  • Peripheral Arterial Disease / therapy*
  • Prosthesis Design
  • Risk Factors
  • Standard of Care*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vascular Access Devices / standards
  • Vascular Patency

Substances

  • Cardiovascular Agents
  • Coated Materials, Biocompatible