PERCUTANEOUS TREATMENT OF ACUTE ILIAC ARTERY INJURY AFTER INTRAAORTICBALLOON COUNTERPULSATION

We report on a novel approach to correcting iliac artery occlusions ca used by aortic counterpulsation. Two patients who had leg ischemia aft er retrieval of an intraaortic balloon pump underwent angiograms that showed occlusion of the right external iliac artery because of dissect ion (one case) or thrombosis (one case). Percutaneous self-expandable stents were implanted-in the occluded vessels, and they fully restored normal iliac patency with no complications and satisfactory midterm f ollow-up results, We conclude that iliac artery occlusion induced by a ortic counterpulsation can be safely treated by implanting self-expand able stents in cases of acute iatrogenic dissection.