Twelve-month results of percutaneous endovascular reconstruction for chronically occluded superficial femoral arteries: a quality-of-life assessment.

Background: We report our experience on the technical feasibility and impact on quality of life (QOL) for angioplasty and primary stenting of chronic total occlusion (CTO) of the superficial femoral artery (SFA).

Methods: Forty-four patients (51 legs) underwent attempted percutaneous revascularization for SFA CTO utilizing the self-expanding nitinol SMART stent (Cordis Corp., Miami, Florida).

Eptifibatide in peripheral vascular interventions: results of the Integrilin Reduces Inflammation in Peripheral Vascular Interventions (INFLAME) trial.

An acute inflammatory response occurs following percutaneous coronary and peripheral vascular interventions (PVI), partly mediated by platelet activation. Glycoprotein (GP) IIb-IIIa inhibitors might partially attenuate this inflammation rise in the coronary patient, but data in patients undergoing PVI are lacking. In the Integrilin Reduces Inflammation in Peripheral Vascular Interventions trial (INFLAME), we hypothesized that eptifibatide reduces the acute inflammatory responses following PVI.

Bivalirudin in peripheral vascular interventions: a single center experience.

Unfractionated heparin is a widely utilized anticoagulant during peripheral angioplasty procedures (PTA). In contrast to heparin, bivalirudin is a direct thrombin inhibitor with predictable anticoagulation, does not activate platelets, and inhibits both soluble and bound thrombin. The experience with bivalirudin during PTA remains limited.

In-hospital complications of peripheral vascular interventions using unfractionated heparin as the primary anticoagulant.

Unfractionated heparin is the current antithrombotic of choice in peripheral vascular interventions. The rate of in-hospital major complications during peripheral angioplasty procedures (PTA) using heparin as the primary anticoagulant has not been well defined. In this single-center study, the charts of 213 consecutive PTA procedures in a 1-year period were reviewed.