Endovascular s tenting treatment for peripheral arteriosclerosis obliterans

Objective: To discuss the clinical effectiveness and application of endovascular stent placement for the treatment of peripheral arteriosclerosis obliterans. Methods: During the period of May 1995-May 2008, percutaneous endovascular stent placement was performed in 161 patients with peripheral arteriosclerosis obliterans. The clinical effectiveness was observed and the results were statistically analyzed. Results: Technical success was achieved in 158 cases (98.1% ). In 127 patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans of lower extremity, the average ankle brachial index (ABI) was significantly increased from original 0.35 (0.11-0.58) before procedure to 0.87 (0.67-1.06) after procedure (P < 0.05). Fifty-three patients who received iliac artery stenting and 25 patients who received subclavian artery stenting were followed up for 3-52 months and no clinical symptoms reappeared. Six to fifty-two months after endovascular stent placement, the patent rate of blood flow in 45 patients with upper two-thirds superficial femoral arteriosclerosis obliterans and in 29 patients with lower one-third superficial femoral arteriosclerosis obliterans was 91.1% (41/45) and 79.3% (23/29), respectively. In all nine patients with brachial arteriosclerosis obliterans who received stent placement, the blood flow kept unobstructed in a follow-up observation over three years. Conclusion: Percutaneous endovascular stent placement is a safe and effective technique for the treatment of peripheral arteriosclerosis obliterans. Sufficient local thrombolysis is essential to increase the technical success rate and to reduce the complications. (authors)