[Long-term results of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stent implantation in venous stenoses following transfemoral thrombectomy].

Thirty consecutive patients were operated on for iliofemoral venous thromboses. In each case, a transfemoral thrombectomy was performed and an arterio-venous fistula was created. Three to six months later, a cross-over arterio-venography revealed 10 severely stenosed venous segments in 8 patients (common iliac vein 4, external iliac vein 3, common femoral vein 3). All stenoses were treated by percutaneous transvenous angioplasty (PTA). Six times a flexible, self-expanding Wallstent was placed within the stenosis after dilation (PTA+S). Complications did not occur. Median follow up was 17 months (3-23 months). PTA+S proved superior (4/6 excellent results) when compared to PTA alone (1/4 excellent result), because of frequent restenosis after the latter. Minor results following PTA+S were caused by intimal hyperplasia within the stent, when the av-fistula was kept patent for more than a year after stent placement.