First results after placement of the new balloon-expandable Bridge (TM)-stent into iliac arteries.

Purpose: To determine the success and patency rates of the new, balloon-exp andable Bridge(TM)-stents for treatment of occlusions and stenoses of iliac arteries. Material and Methods: Between April and October 1999, 21 patient s suffering from peripheral arterial occlusive disease were treated (22 les ions). In 20 cases high-grade stenoses and in two cases complete occlusions were treated. 23 balloon-expandable Bridge(TM)-stents were implanted in th e common iliac (n = 16) and the external iliac (n = 6) artery after percuta neous transluminal angioplasty, Results: All interventions were performed w ith technical success. The mean ankle-brachial index (ABI) increased from 0 .7 +/- 0.19 before to 0.86 +/- 0.16 at 24 hours after the procedure (Ruther ford + 3 [n=18] and + 2 [n=3]); the ABI measured after 6 months was 0.89 +/ - 0.76. The primary cumulative patency rate amounted to 91 % (20/22) at 6 m onths. in two cases restenoses of 75% were observed, requiring repeated ang ioplasty. Conclusion: The new balloon-expandable Bridge(TM)-stents achieve very good initial technical success and promising short-term patency in the percutaneous treatment of iliac occlusive disease.