Results after placement of Memotherm stents in iliac and common femoral arteries.

Purpose: To evaluate the effectivity, safety and midterm patency rates of i liac and femoral stent placement with the Memotherm stent (Bard-Angiomed, K arlsruhe). Material and Methods: In 41 patients (11 female, 30 male, mean a ge 63.9 years) 49 lesions were treated with 50 stents. Mean lesion length w as 4.8 cm for 5 occlusions and 3.1 cm for 44 stenoses. Lesions were located in the common iliac (n = 31), the external iliac (n = 15), and the common femoral artery (n = 3). Patients were followed-up clinically, with ankle-br achial indices (ABI), and angiography. Angiographic patency rates (less tha n or equal to 50% restenosis) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method . ABls were compared before and after therapy with the Wilcoxon test. Resul ts: An immediate technical success was achieved in 48/49 lesions (98%, inte ntion-to-treat). Visibility of the stent was poor. Four stent placement pro cedures were complicated by an advancement of the stent, which could not be corrected. A thrombosis of one stent during deployment had to be treated s urgically. After a mean of 10.4 months (6-24) 33 lesions were followed-up w ith angiography. The primary angiographic patency rate was determined to be 89,9 % after 9 months. An improvement of at least one Fontaine stage was o bserved in 85,4 %. The mean ABI increased significantly from 0.64 to 0.84 a fter therapy. Conclusions: The patency rate of the Memotherm stent is compa rable to that of other stent systems. The poor visibility and the advanceme nt of the stent during deployment requires further modifications.