D. Liermann et al., PROPHYLACTIC ENDOVASCULAR RADIOTHERAPY TO PREVENT INTIMAL HYPERPLASIAAFTER STENT IMPLANTATION IN FEMOROPOPLITEAL ARTERIES, Cardiovascular and interventional radiology, 17(1), 1994, pp. 12-16
Purpose: Recurrent stenosis or occlusion by intimal hyperplasia occurs
in up to 40% of patients with tantalum stent implantations in femorop
opliteal arteries and greatly restricts their usefulness. We evaluated
the effect of prophylactic endovascular radiotherapy on stenosed/occl
uded stents. Methods: We investigated prophylactic endovascular radiot
herapy with a surface dose of 12 Gy using an iridium 192 source as a m
eans to reduce or eliminate recurrent stenosis in 4 patients with sten
osed/occluded stents, 6-8 months after the original implantation. Conf
irmatory diagnostic atherectomy, PTA or laser recanalization and endov
ascular radiotherapy were performed. Results: None of the four has dev
eloped recurrent obstruction within 23 to 30 months after this treatme
nt, which up to now shows no short-term or long-term complications. Co
nclusion: We conclude that this limited experience is promising enough
to warrant further study.