Iliac artery stenosis or obstruction after unsuccessful balloon angioplasty: treatment with a self-expandable stent.

Obstruction or stenosis of the iliac artery was treated by placement of a self-expandable stent in 91 patients. A total of 100 lesions was treated. All patients had had poor results of balloon angioplasty including residual stenosis, iliac occlusion, and dissection. The stent used in all cases was a self-expandable stainless steel endoprosthesis mounted on a 7- or 9-French catheter and covered by an invaginated tubular rolling membrane. The diameter of the expanded stent varied from 7 to 12 mm. A total of 129 stents was placed. Technical success was 97%. Thromboses occurred immediately after placement in two patients and within the first month in six; these were mainly due to residual obstruction. Eighty-two (93%) of 88 patients with a follow-up longer than 3 months had no recurrent symptoms. Restenosis caused by intimal hyperplasia inside the stent occurred in 10 patients; these required repeated intervention in only four cases. In the remaining six patients, no further complications occurred. Our results show that self-expanding endoprostheses are of value for improving the results of inadequate percutaneous transluminal angioplasty.