Early and long-term comparison of endovascular treatment of iliac artery occlusions and stenosis

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated early and long-term results of endovascular treatment of iliac artery occlusions and compared these outcomes with those in patients treated for stenotic lesions. METHODS: During a 10-year period ending in January 2010, 223 endovascular procedures to treat aortoiliac occlusive disease (PAD) were performed. All patients were prospectively enrolled in a dedicated database. The intervention was performed for iliac occlusion in 109 patients (group 1) and for iliac stenosis in 114 (group 2). Early results were analyzed and compared by χ² and Fisher exact tests. Follow-up consisted of clinical examination and duplex scanning at discharge, ≤ 3 months, at 6 and 12 months, and yearly thereafter. Follow-up results were analyzed with Kaplan-Meier curves and compared with the log-rank test. RESULTS: The two groups had similar risk factors for atherosclerosis and comorbidities. Critical limb ischemia was more common in group 1 (20.5%) than in group 2 (8.5%; P = .01). Intraoperative technical details were similar, except for a higher percentage of brachial and contralateral femoral access and more frequent use of nitinol stents in group 1. Two immediate technical failures occurred, one in both groups, requiring immediate conversion to surgical bypass. Four intraoperative iliac ruptures occurred, two in each group; all were successfully treated with covered stents. An additional 10 immediate complications occurred (8 in group 1; 2 in group 2), one of which required conversion to open surgical bypass. The cumulative rate of perioperative complications was 9% in group 1 and 3.5% in group 2 (P = .08). Primary patency at 30 days was 97.3% and 98.7%, respectively. Mean duration of follow-up was 28.4 months; 203 patients (91%) had a regular postoperative follow-up visit. At 60 months, primary patency in group 1 vs group 2 was 82.4% vs 77.7% (P = .9), assisted primary patency was 90.6% vs 85.5% (P = .4), and estimated secondary patency was 93.1% vs 92.8% (P = .3). The cumulative rate of reintervention during follow-up (excluding reinterventions performed in the perioperative period) was 2.5% in group 1 and 12.5% in group 2 at 60 months (P = .09). Univariate analysis in group 1 failed to find any of the examined risk factors significantly affected long-term primary patency rates. CONCLUSIONS: In our experience, endovascular treatment of iliac occlusions provides excellent early and long-term results, similar to those obtained in the treatment of stenotic lesions