EXPERIENCE WITH A NEW COVERED ENDOPROSTHE SIS IN THE TREATMENT OF OCCLUSIVE AND ANEURYSMAL PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL-DISEASE

The aim of this study was to report the authors' experience of a new a uto-expandable nitinol stent covered by a thin layer of polyester, the Cragg Endopro System 1, for percutaneous internal revascularisation. One hundred and forty-two patients (120 men, 22 women; average age : 6 3.5 +/- 10 (38-88) received a total of 204 stents (58 iliac, 75 femora l, 9 politeal). The lesions were stenosis in 61 cases, occlusions in 6 1 cases and aneurysms in 20 cases. The mean length at the femoro-popli teal level was 14.2 +/- 2.4 cm (4-30),at iliac level 9.4 +/- 0.9 (3-15 ). implantation was successful in 140/142 cases, a technical success i n 136/142 cases (96 %). There were 4 acute thromboses requiring surger y and 4 others treated successfully by thrombolysis. There were 18 sec ondary thromboses. Twenty-nine patients had pyrexia and pain in the tr eated limb for several days. Over a 27 months follow-up all the iliac stents remained patent; there were 8 restenoses unrelated to the stent , 7 of which were treated by a repeat angioplasty. The primary (PI) an d secondary (PII) patency rates at 27 months were : iliac, PI = 97 %, PII = 100 %; global femoral, PI = 64 %, PII = 76 % (stenosis PI = 59 % , PII = 81 %; occlusions, PI = 65 %, PII = 74 %); lesions of less than 15 cm, PI = 68 %, PII = 93 %; lesions over 15 cm, PI = 54 %, PII :76 %; aneurysms, PI and PII = 88 %). The authors conclude that the Cragg Endopro System 1 stent is safe and effective in the treatment of long lesions and aneurysms with encouraging medium term results suggesting that it may be a real alternative to surgery.