Treatment of arterial traumas by the Wallgraft-endoprothesis.

Purpose: Percutaneous peripheral interventional procedures as well as coron ary interventions can be complicated by dissections and traumatic lesions o f peripheral arteries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy o f treatment for traumatic peripheral arterial lesions. Material and Methods : In this study we used the Wallgraft-Endoprothesis (Boston Scientific, USA ), which is a self-expanding covered stent. In 17 patients a total number o f 24 endoprostheses (mean length 6.4 cm) were implanted in iliac arteries. Indications for stenting were large dissections (n=9), arterial perforation s (n=4), aneurysms (n = 3), and stent in stent implantation (n = 2). Result s: An immediate exclusion of the lesion could be achieved in all cases. The re were no major procedural complications. The primary patency after a mean follow-up of 18 months was 82.4% (14/17). Early reocclusion was seen in tw o cases, one stent in stent reocclusion and one reocclusion after acute ste nt thrombosis. In one other case the angiography revealed relevant restenos es (> 75%). The patency could be restored in one of these three cases leadi ng to a secondary patency rate of 94.1%. Conclusions: The Wallgraft-Endopro theses seems to be safe and effective to seal large dissections and traumat ic lesions of periphal arteries, showing a high long-term patency rate.