Treatment of complex atherosclerotic popliteal artery disease with a new self-expanding interwoven nitinol stent: 12-month results of the Leipzig SUPERA popliteal artery stent registry.

OBJECTIVES: We examined the efficacy and durability of a new interwoven self-expanding nitinol stent system in the treatment of complex popliteal artery lesions in unselected patients.

BACKGROUND: The optimal endovascular treatment strategy for atherosclerotic popliteal artery disease is not known.

METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data gathered in 101 consecutive patients presenting with atherosclerotic, popliteal arterial disease, who underwent implantation of 125 stents. The patients were followed for 12 months by Doppler ultrasound examinations, stent roentgenograms, and estimation of Rutherford-Becker class (RBC) and ankle-brachial index (ABI).

RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 73.1 years, and 52.5% were men. Total occlusions were present in 48 patients (47.5%). The mean stent length was 84.3 ± 45.1 mm (range 40 to 240 mm). A <30% residual stenosis was achieved in 98.0% of procedures. The 6- and 12-month primary patency rates were 94.6 ± 2.3% and 87.7 ± 3.7%, respectively, and the secondary patency rates 97.9 ± 1.5% and 96.5 ± 2.0%, respectively. Between baseline and 12 months of follow-up, mean ABI increased from 0.58 ± 0.15 to 0.97 ± 0.18, and mean RBC decreased from 3.1 ± 0.9 to 1.4 ± 0.8 (p < 0.001 for both comparisons). Radiographs performed on 51 patients, at a mean of 15.2 months, confirmed the absence of stent fractures in 100% of examinations.

CONCLUSIONS: Over a 12-month observation period, the patency rate and durability of SUPERA stents implanted for severe popliteal artery disease were high.