ENDOVASCULAR REMOTE ENDARTERECTOMY IN FEMOROPOPLITEAL OCCLUSIVE DISEASE - ONE-YEAR CLINICAL-EXPERIENCE WITH THE RING STRIP CUTTER DEVICE

Objectives: One-year clinical outcome of a new endovascular treatment for long segmental arterial occlusive disease using a ring strip cutte r (RSC) to minimise surgical exposure. Design: Prospective open study. Materials: Thirty-eight consecutive RSC procedures in 36 consecutive patients with lengthy occlusive (34) or multiple stenotic (4) femoropo pliteal lesions were performed. Indications for operation were disabli ng claudication in 25 (66%), rest pain in 3 (8%), and gangrene in 10 ( 26%) patients. Methods: A newly developed endovascular ring strip cutt er device was used to perform a remote endarterectomy through a single groin incision. Clinical data were analysed based on intention-to-tre at. ResuIts: Initial angiographic, clinical and haemodynamic success w as achieved in all 38 (100%) limbs. Mean ankle-brachial index increase d significantly from 0.62 +/- 0.14 to 1.02 +/- 0.14 postoperatively (p = 0.01). Pour failures have occurred during follow-up. After one-year experience the cumulative (assisted) primary and secondary patency ra tes are 80% and 85% respectively. Duplex surveillance hits detected pr ogressive recurrent stenoses in 10 cases. Conclusions: Remote endarter ectomy of long segmental femoropopliteal occlusive disease through a s ingle groin incision with the Ring Strip Cutter device is a safe and e ffective procedure. The early patency rates are good. Further long-ter m results are needed to evaluate this technique.