Courtesy of Dr. Carlos Fava.
Drug-eluting stents (DES) have shown mid-term benefit in lesions below the knee (BTK) by reducing the rate of acute occlusion and restenosis in type A and B lesions. However, failure to recover the self-regulatory functions of the local vessel could hinder future revascularization. Drug-eluting bioresorbable scaffolds (BVS) could be a solution to this problem.
This study included 33 patients with intermittent claudication (Rutherford 3-6) presenting BTK lesions, treated with a bioresorbable scaffold Absorb.
Thirty-eight limbs with a total of 43 lesions, 6 of which were total occlusions, were treated. Fifty scaffolds with a mean covered length of 19.2 mm were used.
Follow-up was performed at 12 months; 30 patients showed improvement of claudication (79%) and a 6% restenosis rate. Primary patency at 1 year was 96%. Most patients presented trophic lesion healing and none required an amputation.
Conclusion
At 12 months, bioresorbable scaffold Absorb showed excellent safety, patency and freedom from revascularization in infrapatellar lesions.
Editorial
This is the first paper showing bioresorbable scaffold efficacy and feasibility, opening doors for further research to improve outcomes and reduce complication and amputation rates for this disease.
Critical lower limb ischemia is associated with a high amputation rate, and peripheral angioplasty is always challenging.
Courtesy of Dr. Carlos Fava. Buenos Aires Favaloro Foundation, Argentina.
Original title: Experience with the Absorb Everolimus-Eluting Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold in Arteries Below the Knee. 12-Month Clinical and Imaging Outcomes.
Reference: Ramon Vercoe et al. J Am Coll Cardiol Intv 2016;9:1721-8.
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