Orchid drug-coated balloon versus standard percutaneous transluminal angioplasty for the treatment of femoropopliteal artery disease: 12-month result of the randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: To assess the efficacy and safety of the Orchid drug-coated balloon (coated with paclitaxel) for the treatment of femoropopliteal artery disease versus percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in Chinese population.

Methods: This is a prospective, single center, single-blinded, randomized controlled trial that randomized (1:1) 60 patients (38 men; mean age 68.7 ± 8.8) to drug-coated balloon group ( = 30) or percutaneous transluminal angioplasty group ( = 30). The primary efficacy endpoint was primary patency of the target lesion and clinically driven target lesion revascularization (CD-TLR) at 12 months. The primary safety end point was freedom from perioperative death at 30 days and freedom from limb-related death and major amputation at 12 months.

Results: Baseline characteristics were similar between the two groups. Drug-coated balloon group resulted in higher primary patency (82.8% vs. 48.3%,  = 0.005) and lower CD-TLR rates (3.5% vs. 27.6%;  = 0.001) versus percutaneous transluminal angioplasty group at 12 months. The ABI was significantly higher in drug-coated balloon group than percutaneous transluminal angioplasty group (0.86 ± 0.13 vs. 0.72 ± 0.18,  = 0.025). There were no perioperative death at 30 days, no limb-related death and no major amputation at 12 months in either group.

Conclusions: The randomized controlled trial showed superior treatment effect with drug-coated balloon versus percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, with remarkably higher patency and lower CD-TLR rates. The result is consistent with other study and demonstrates the safety and efficacy of the Orchid drug-coated balloon for the treatment of femoropopliteal artery disease.