Purpose: To define the long-term outcome of stent placement in iliac and femoropopliteal arteries.
Materials and methods: Three hundred ten patients received 418 balloon-expandable Palmaz stents. Two hundred thirty stents were implanted in iliac arteries of 184 patients, and 188 stents were implanted in femoropopliteal arteries in 126 patients. Restenosis rates were based on results of angiography performed 4-6 months after stent placement. Long-term patency rates were determined with duplex ultrasound.
Results: Immediate procedural success was achieved in 309 patients. Acute thrombosis ( < 24 hours) occurred in five patients, and immediate clinical success in 288. The 30-day mortality and morbidity rates were 0% and 8%, respectively. Angiography performed at 6 months in 299 patients revealed restenosis rates of 0.5% in iliac lesions, 11% in superficial femoral artery (SFA) lesions, and 20% in popliteal lesions. Survival analysis revealed 4-year primary patency rates of 86% +/- 4.1 for iliac artery lesions, 65% +/- 7.5 for SFA lesions, and 50% +/- 17.7 for popliteal artery lesions. Most restenotic lesions were successfully treated with repeat angioplasty.
Conclusion: Implantation of Palmaz stents in iliac arteries allows long-term primary patency to be maintained in most patients.