Primary stent placement for chronic iliac artery occlusions: follow-up results in 103 patients.

Abstract

To report results of primary stent placement for treatment of chronic iliac artery occlusions. The authors placed 154 primary stents in 103 patients with iliac artery occlusions of at least 3 months duration. Mean length of the occluded segments was 5.1 cm. All patients had symptoms, with claudication or trophic changes. Mean ankle-arm index at rest was 0.48. Follow-up included angiography, Doppler ultrasound, and clinical examination. Ninety-nine patients demonstrated clinical improvement, with relief or improvement of claudication. Complications that required percutaneous or surgical intervention occurred in six patients; minor complications occurred in another six. Embolization occurred in five patients. Primary patency was 87% after 1 year, 83% after 2 years, and 78% after 4 years; secondary patency was 94%, 90%, and 88% at 1 year, 2 years, and 4 years, respectively. Primary stent placement should be the treatment of choice in unilateral chronic iliac artery occlusion.