Comparing the impact of the loss of patency between treatment with drug-coated balloon angioplasty and drug-eluting stent placement.

Objective: To compare the results of endovascular treatment with drug-eluting stents (DES) and drug-coated balloons (DCB) in atherosclerotic lesions in the femoropopliteal artery, as well as to assess restenotic patterns.

Methods: Clinical data from 617 cases treated with DES or DCB for femoropopliteal diseases were analyzed in this multicenter, retrospective cohort study. From these, 290 DES and 145 DCB cases were extracted by propensity score matching.

Outcomes of embolization procedures for type II endoleaks following endovascular abdominal aortic repair.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the mid-term outcomes of embolization procedures for type II endoleak after endovascular abdominal aortic repair, and clarify the risk factors for aneurysm enlargement after embolization procedures.

Methods: This was a retrospective multicenter registry study enrolling patients who underwent embolization procedures for type II endoleaks after EVAR from January 2012 to December 2018 at 19 Japanese centers. The primary end point was the rate of freedom from aneurysm enlargement, more than 5 mm in the aortic maximum diameter, after an embolization procedure.

Drug Eluting Versus Covered Stent for Femoropopliteal Artery Lesions: Results of the ULTIMATE Study.

Objective: Stent grafts (SG) and drug eluting stents (DES) have emerged to combat intimal hyperplasia. It remains unclear which type of stent yields superior outcomes in femoropopliteal (FP) arterial lesions. This study compared the clinical data between the VIABAHN SG and the Eluvia DES two years after endovascular treatment.

Successful Sac Embolization to Eliminate a Type 2 Endoleak After Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair by Penetration of a Vascular Plug Implanted in a Left Subclavian Artery.

Purpose: To describe a technique of vascular plug penetration by a guidewire with a heavy tip load for additional embolization of a type 2 endoleak after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR).

Technique: The technique of vascular plug penetration is effective for additional embolization of a type 2 endoleak, when large arteries such as left subclavian artery (LSA) or hypogastric artery remain patent even after the embolization of the vessel has been performed using a vascular plug and are responsible for the endoleak. A tapered guidewire with a heavy tip load enables the penetration of the disk of the plug, followed by introduction of a microcatheter into the endoleak nidus.

Penetration of Dissected Membrane for False Lumen Embolization in a Case of Chronic Aortic Dissection.

Patent false lumens carry a high risk of aortic events including rupture. False lumen embolization is a useful method to promote thrombosis of false lumen. In the case presented here, direct penetration of the dissected membrane was employed to obtain access to the false lumen, enabling embolization.

Coil-In-Plug Technique Using the Amplatzer Vascular Plug II to Occlude a Portosystemic Shunt.

Introduction: The family of Amplatzer Vascular Plugs (AVPs) is characterized by their precise deployment and high resistance to migration. However, a risk of recanalization of the embolized vessels has been reported. To augment the effectiveness of embolization, the coil-in-plug (CIP) technique was developed, exclusively using AVP I or IV.

Efficacy of Multichannel Balloon Angioplasty in Calcified Common Femoral Artery Lesions.

This report describes 7 cases in which multichannel balloon angioplasty was performed for severely calcified common femoral artery stenosis. After the successful passage of a guidewire through the stenosis, another guidewire with a tip load of 12g or 14 g was passed through a different channel inside the calcified plaques, followed by balloon angioplasty via each route. After the procedure, ankle brachial index improved from 0.

Spontaneous Collapse of Balloon Expandable Stent in Heavily Calcified Aorta.

Balloon expandable stents (BES), which are made of stainless steel, are vulnerable to external compression, leading to deformation or collapse/fracture of the stents. In this report, two cases of complete collapse of BES are presented. In both cases, BES were placed in a heavily calcified aorta and subsequently collapsed without any evidence of external compression.

Balloon-oriented puncture for creating an access for endovascular aortic aneurysm repair in a case of iliac and femoral artery occlusion.

Background: Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) with iliac artery occlusive diseases are not uncommon. When an occlusion extends from iliac artery to common femoral artery (CFA), adjunctive procedures such as endareterectomy of CFA and angioplasty of iliac artery are performed prior to endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Alternatively, aorto-uni-iliac stentgrafting with femoro-femoro bypass surgery could be performed.

Multicentre randomised controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of pre-emptive inferior mesenteric artery embolisation during endovascular aortic aneurysm repair on aneurysm sac change: protocol of Clarify IMA study.

Introduction: Type II endoleak (EL) is frequently seen after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and is often considered responsible for aneurysm sac enlargement if it persists. In order to reduce type II EL and consequent sac enlargement, pre-emptive embolisation of the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA), which is a main source for persistent type II EL, has been introduced in many vascular centres. At present, there is a lack of robust evidence to support the efficacy of pre-emptive embolisation of IMA on reduction of persistent type II EL with subsequent sac shrinkage.

Vessel Calcification as a Risk Factor for In-Stent Restenosis in Complex Femoropopliteal Lesions After Zilver PTX Paclitaxel-Coated Stent Placement.

To evaluate the effect of vessel calcification on in-stent restenosis (ISR) after drug-coated stent (DCS) placement in the femoropopliteal segment. A retrospective multicenter study was undertaken involving 220 consecutive symptomatic patients (mean age 73.1±8.