Should We Start Stenting with DES in Femoropopliteal Territory?

Percutaneous intervention of femoropopliteal lesions have been the standard strategy these past two decades. The development of drug eluting stents (DES) or drug eluting balloons (DEB) has improved patency rate compared against conventional balloon angioplasty.

¿Deberíamos comenzar a implantar stents liberadores de droga en el territorio femoropoplíteo?

The ILLUMINA -a multicenter study- looked into the polymer free self-expanding stent NiTiDES, which showed at 1 year an 87% patency and 2% requirement of new angioplasty, yet it has not been assessed beyond this period. 

Primary end point was efficacy defined as the absence of clinically driven target lesion revascularization or restenosis with peak systolic velocity >2.4 by doppler. Secondary end point was “safety” defined as a composite of clinically driven target lesion revascularization, major amputation, all-cause mortality, and changes in functional class as per Rutherford categorization. 

It included 100 patients, mostly men (78%); mean age was 67. Hypertension was the most frequent risk factor, about 35% were diabetic. The most frequent symptom was intermittent claudication Rutherford class 2-3.

Efficacy primary end point presented 83% patency at 2 years, while safety secondary end point reached 87% event-free in the same period of time. 

Read also: ACC 2022 – Complete Trial QoL: Complete Revascularization in STEMI.

At 12 months most patients saw improved functional class, which was maintained at 2 years.

Conclusion

The ILLUMINA showed the efficacy and safety of NiTiDES in the treatment of femoropopliteal lesions at 2 years. We need further study to compare against other DES. 

Dr. Andrés Rodríguez

Dr. Andrés Rodríguez
Member of the Editorial Board, SOLACI.org

Original Title: 2-Year Results With a Sirolimus-Eluting Self-Expanding Stent for Femoropopliteal Lesions. The First-in-Human ILLUMINA Study.

Reference: Sabine Steiner, MD, et al  Am Coll Cardiol Intv 2022;15:618–626.


Subscribe to our weekly newsletter

Get the latest scientific articles on interventional cardiology

More articles by this author

Therapeutic strategies in carotid free-floating thrombus: evidence and controversies

Carotid free-floating thrombus (cFFT) is a rare entity with a high embolic risk, associated with acute neurological events such as stroke or transient ischemic...

ACC 2026 | SirPAD Trial: Sirolimus-coated balloon angioplasty in infrainguinal arterial disease

Paclitaxel-coated balloons have demonstrated improved patency in peripheral arterial disease (PAD), although questions remain regarding safety and applicability across different vascular territories. In this...

ACC 2026 | HI-PEITHO: Catheter-directed strategy (EKOS) in intermediate-risk acute pulmonary embolism

The treatment of intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) continues to be an area of therapeutic uncertainty. The initial PEITHO study (2014) demonstrated a reduction in...

ACVC 2026 | FLASH Registry European Cohort: Mechanical Thrombectomy in Pulmonary Embolism

The management of intermediate-high and high-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) remains an area of therapeutic uncertainty, particularly in patients with right ventricular (RV) dysfunction, in...

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Related Articles

SOLACI Sessionsspot_img

Recent Articles

Management of Valve Thrombosis in TAVI: Current Evidence-Based Approach

The expansion of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) into younger and lower-risk populations has brought bioprosthetic valve thrombosis to the forefront as a clinically...

Experience with the intra-annular self-expanding Navitor valve: data from the STS/ACC TVT registry

The expansion of TAVI, with the introduction of new-generation devices, has prioritized not only periprocedural safety, but also the preservation of coronary access, more...

Therapeutic strategies in carotid free-floating thrombus: evidence and controversies

Carotid free-floating thrombus (cFFT) is a rare entity with a high embolic risk, associated with acute neurological events such as stroke or transient ischemic...