Femoropopliteal In-stent Restenosis Research Articles

Factors associated with recurrence after drug-coated balloon therapy for femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis

Factors associated with recurrence after drug-coated balloon therapy for femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis

Real-World Performance of Excimer Laser Ablation Combined with Drug-Coated Balloon Versus Drug-Coated Balloon for the Treatment of Femoropopliteal In-Stent Restenosis Disease.

This study aims to assess the effectiveness and identify the risk factors associated with postoperative restenosis in patients with femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis (FP-ISR) disease treated with excimer laser ablation (ELA) combined with drug-coated balloon (DCB) versus DCB alone. This retrospective real-world study compares patients with FP-ISR treated with ELA + DCB versus DCB alone. Additionally, subgroup analysis was conducted for long-segment lesions (lesion length ≥200 mm) and Tosaka III lesions. Then Cox regression analysis was used to examine 24-month outcomes of target lesion revascularization and restenosis. We found no significant differences in primary patency and freedom from clinically driven target lesion revascularization (CD-TLR) at 24 months between the ELA + DCB group (49 patients) and the DCB group (82 patients). In the subgroup analysis of long-segment lesions (target lesion length ≥200 mm), the results showed that ELA + DCB was superior to DCB at 24 months in terms of both primary patency (55.0% vs 35.3%; P = 0.048) and freedom from CD-TLR (77.8% vs 50.8%; P = 0.033). The 2 treatment methods did not show statistical significance in the subgroup analysis of Tosaka III patients. Target lesion length of ≥200 mm was found to have a significant association with restenosis (hazard ratio = 5.28; 95% CI, 2.48-11.23; P < 0.001) and freedom from CD-TLR (hazard ratio = 3.02; 95% CI, 1.02-9.30; P = 0.044) in the multivariate analysis. We do not have sufficient evidence to show a significant difference between ELA + DCB and DCB alone for FP-ISR. However, for patients with long-segment FP-ISR lesions, ELA + DCB may provide better long-term patency. Our results suggest that for patients with long-segment (≥200 mm) FP-ISR, the efficacy of ELA combined with DCB may be superior to that of DCB alone. For patients with FP-ISR <200 mm, DCB alone may achieve satisfactory efficacy, thus reducing the medical burden on patients and allowing for the selection of more appropriate treatment options for different types of lesions.

Rivaroxaban and Aspirin in Drug-Coated Balloon Angioplasty for Femoropopliteal In-Stent Restenosis: A Retrospective Cohort Study

BackgroundAfter drug-coated balloon (DCB) treatment of the femoropopliteal artery in-stent restenosis (ISR), a certain proportion of patients also experience target lesion restenosis. The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban combined with aspirin in the treatment of ISR after DCB intervention. MethodsPatients who underwent DCB treatment for ISR after femoropopliteal artery intervention at our center from March 2017 to February 2022 were included consecutively. According to the drug treatment after DCB intervention of ISR, the patients were divided into rivaroxaban and aspirin group (RA Group) and dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) group. The outcomes of two groups during the 12-month follow-up after DCB intervention were compared. ResultsA total of 92 patients were included in final analysis, with 43 in RA group and 49 in DAPT group. During 12-month follow-up, a total of 15 cases of recurrent ISR were detected, and the recurrence rate of ISR and clinically driven TLR in the RA group were lower than those in the DAPT group (P<0.05). The vascular patency rate in the RA group was higher than that in the DAPT group at 6 and 12 months of follow-up (P<0.05). During the follow-up, there were no adverse events such as death, myocardial infarction, stroke, amputation, or major bleeding, and only a total of 5 cases of minor bleeding occurred. ConclusionCompared with the standard DAPT regimen, rivaroxaban combined with aspirin can safely improve the follow-up outcome after DCB for femoropopliteal ISR.

Outcomes and Comparative Analysis of the Initial Results of Standard Balloon Angioplasty Versus Drug-Coated Balloons Alone Versus in Association With Laser-Excimer Atherectomy in the Treatment of Femoropopliteal Artery In-Stent Restenosis (INTACT).

Despite improved patency with newer-generation nitinol stents, one-half of patients will require secondary interventions for in-stent restenosis (ISR). The best treatment strategy remains unclear. This study aimed to compare drug-coated balloons (DCBs) used alone or in association with excimer laser atherectomy (ELA) to simple percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) in the treatment of femoropopliteal-ISR. The INTACT trial is a multicenter, prospective, triple-arm randomized trial conducted across 14 centers from December 2015 to November 2019. Patients Rutherford Class 2-5 with ISR≥70% were followed-up for 18 months. The primary efficacy endpoint was recurrent ISR>70% by duplex ultrasound analysis. The primary safety endpoint was major adverse events (MAEs) defined as death, major amputation, or target lesion revascularization (TLR). Around 134 subjects were randomized to PTA alone (n=41), PTA+DCB (n=43) or PTA+ELA+DCB (n=50). Procedural success was similar (p=.74), as was clinical success (p=.17). The number of recurrent ISR>70% decreased after PTA+ELA+DCB (30.0%; p=.04) and PTA+DCB (30.2%; p=.05) compared to PTA alone (51.2%). Primary patency was higher after PTA+ELA+DCB (log-rank p=.04) and PTA+DCB (log-rank p=.02) compared to PTA alone at 12 months (78.7% and 70.4% vs 61.5%) and 18 months (61.6% and 67.7% vs 37.3%). Freedom from MAEs was lower after PTA+DCB (27.9%) compared to PTA alone (53.7%; p=.02) but did not differ with PTA+ELA+DCB (40.0%). It was primarily driven by TLR; 2 major amputations occurred after PTA+ELA+DCB (4.0%; p=.18). This independent study demonstrated a decrease in recurrent ISR>70% and increase in primary patency up to 18 months after PTA+ELA+DCB and PTA+DCB compared to PTA alone in the treatment of FP-ISR. It did not show an increase in MAEs but could have lacked power. This multicenter, prospective, triple-arm randomized, controlled trial focuses on the results of adjunctive therapies, such as excimer laser atherectomy (ELA) and/or drug-coated balloons (DCBs) in the treatment of in-stent restenosis (ISR) in femoropopliteal lesions in 134 patients. It has the originality of being an independent study funded by a grant from the French Ministry of Health. This study confirms a significant decrease in recurrent ISR >70% and increase in primary patency up to 18 months after the use of ELA+DCB and DCBs compared to simple percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in the treatment of femoropopliteal ISR without an increase in major adverse events.

Evaluation of Femoropopliteal In-Stent Restenosis Characteristics Stratified by Stent Design

Purpose: To evaluate the potential differences in characteristics of femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis (ISR) stratified by stent design with a focus on the swirling flow-inducing BioMimics 3D helical centerline stent. Methods: Patients with ISR of the superficial femoral and popliteal arteries undergoing reintervention were included in this study. The primary endpoint was the angiographic localization and extent of restenosis or reocclusion with the following five different stent systems: SMART Control stent, Supera peripheral stent, GORE® VIABAHN® endoprosthesis, BioMimics 3D stent, and Zilver® PTX® stent. Results: 414 ISR lesions were analyzed, affecting 236 Supera stents, 67 BioMimics 3D stents, 48 Zilver® PTX® stents, 38 SMART Control stents, and 25 VIABAHN® endoprostheses. The mean stent diameter and length were 5.7 ± 0.77 mm and 121.4 ± 94.8 mm, respectively. ISR included 310 (74.9%) lesions with 1 stent, 89 (21.5%) lesions with 2 stents, 14 (3.4%) lesions with 3 stents, and 1 lesion (0.2%) with 4 stents. Most lesions presented as reocclusions (67.4%) rather than focal (13.3%) or diffuse restenoses (19.3%). No significant differences in ISR lesion morphology were found. By trend, BioMimics 3D stent lesion extension was more focal (16.4% versus 12.7%, p = 0.258), with the highest proportion of lesions in which only the proximal stent third was affected (9.0% versus 5.8%, p = 0.230), as compared to the average of the other four devices. The occlusion rate was the second lowest for the BioMimics 3D stent (64.2 vs. 68.0%, p = 0.316). Risk factors for restenosis or occlusion were active smoking, pre-interventional occlusion, and popliteal intervention. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the helical centerline stent design of the BioMimics 3D stent, which results in a swirling flow with increased wall shear stress, may offer protective properties over straight stent designs, including DES and endoprosthesis, regarding localization and extension of restenosis. Prospective, randomized studies are warranted.

Predictors of recurrence after paclitaxel drug-coated balloon use for treating femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis.

Paclitaxel drug-coated balloon (PDCB) angioplasty has been shown to be an effective treatment of in-stent restenosis (ISR) at the femoropopliteal (FP) arteries. Long-term studies, however, have shown a progressive decrease in the patency rates following PDCB. The aim of this study was to determine the predictors of stenosis recurrence after PDCB treatment of FP-ISR, and its immediate and mid-term outcomes. This prospective, non-randomized study included all chronic lower extremity ischemia patients of Rutherford class 3-6 who underwent PDCB angioplasty to treat >50% FP-ISR between June 2017 and December 2019. The primary endpoint was primary patency, defined as freedom from binary restenosis and freedom from clinically driven target lesion revascularization (CD-TLR) at 12 months. Secondary endpoints included 12-months freedom from CD-TLR and major adverse events (MAEs). A total of 73 symptomatic chronic limb ischemia patients (73 limbs including 63 with limb threatening ischemia) underwent PDCB angioplasty of FP-ISR lesions (13.7% Tosaka class I, 54.8% class II, and 31.5% class III). The mean ISR lesion length was 121.8 ± 52.7mm. Technical success was achieved in 70 (95.9%) patients. Kaplan-Meier estimate of the 12-months rates of primary patency and freedom from CD-TLR was 76.1% and 87.4%, respectively. At one year, MAEs occurred in eight patients (11.0%) including two deaths (2.7%), one major amputation (1.4%), and six (8.2%) surgical revascularizations. Multivariable analysis showed that Tosaka class III ISR (HR 4.51, CI: 1.31-15.53, p < 0.001) and reference vessel diameter (HR 0.38, 95% CI: 0.18-080, p = 0.01) were independently associated with recurrent ISR. PDCB is safe and effective treatment of FP-ISR lesions. Occlusive ISR lesions and reference vessel diameter were independently associated with recurrent ISR stenosis after PDCB treatment.

Heterogeneous vascular response after implantation of bare nitinol self-expanding stents in the swine femoropopliteal artery

BackgroundMechanism of femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis has been underappreciated.AimThe aim of this animal study was to elucidate vascular response after femoropopliteal bare nitinol self-expanding stents (SESs) implantation.MethodsMisago, Smart Flex, or Innova stent was randomly implanted in 36 swine femoropopliteal arteries. At week 4, quantitative vessel analysis (QVA) was performed on 36 legs, of which 18 underwent histological evaluation after angiography. The remaining 18 legs underwent QVA and histological evaluation at week 13.ResultsFibrin deposition was excessive at week 4. Internal elastic lamina (IEL) progressively enlarged over time, and vessel injury developed from mild level at week 4 to moderate level at week 13. Vessel inflammatory reaction was mild to moderate at week 4, and was moderate to severe at week 13. Increased fibrin deposition was an early-acting, IEL enlargement and increased vessel inflammation were long-acting, and increased vessel injury and giant cells infiltration were late-acting contributors to neointimal hyperplasia (NIH). Stent type altered time-dependent process of vessel injury, vessel inflammation, eosinophils and giant cells infiltration. Misago had less fibrin deposition and vessel enlargement, and less progressive vessel injury, vessel inflammation, and eosinophils and giant cells infiltration. Net lumen as assessed by percent diameter stenosis or minimum lumen diameter was preserved with Misago, but was not preserved with the other stents.ConclusionsIn the context of bare nitinol SES platform with less progressive mechanical stress and inflammatory reaction, the advantage of less NIH outweighed the disadvantage of less vessel enlargement, leading to net lumen preservation.

Network Meta-Analysis of All Available Regimens Based on Drug-Coated Balloon Angioplasty and Laser Atherectomy for Femoropopliteal In-Stent Restenosis

Purpose: Drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty and laser atherectomy (LA) have been frequently utilized to treat femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis (ISR); however, no studies have concurrently compared available regimens, including DCB, LA+DCB, and LA + plain balloon angioplasty (PB). Therefore, we conducted this network meta-analysis to determine whether there were significant differences in outcomes among these regimens. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane library to identify all randomized controlled trials comparing DCB or LA-based regimes with POBA or each other for treating femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis (ISR) from their inception until March 2021. The primary outcome measure was binary restenosis, and secondary outcome measures were target lesion revascularization (TLR) and mortality, evaluated at 6 and 12 months, respectively. Statistical analysis was performed using Aggregate Data Drug Information System (ADDIS) 1.4 software, and all data were graphically summarized using Microsoft Excel software. Results: The final analysis included 11 studies, of which 6 studies compared DCB with PB, 2 studies compared PB vs LA+PB, 2 studies compared DCB vs LA+DCB, and 1 study compared LA+DCB with LA+PB. DCB was better than PB in decreasing binary restenosis at 6 (odds ratio [OR]: 0.22, 95% credible interval [CrI]: 0.04–0.91) and 12 (OR: 0.26, 95% CrI: 0.12–0.50) months. DCB was associated with lower TLR than PB at 6 months (OR: 0.31, 95% CrI: 0.13–0.69). LA+DCB was also superior to PB in treating binary restenosis at 12 months (OR: 6.10, 95% CrI: 1.94–24.41) and TLR at 6 months (OR: 5.32, 95% CrI: 1.43–28.06). There was no statistical difference in mortality between PB, DCB, and LA+PB. DCB and LA+DCB were the first 2 options for reducing binary restenosis and TLR. Conclusion: The current network meta-analysis demonstrates that both DCB and LA+DCB are superior to PB alone, and that DCB and LA+DCB may be the preferred treatment options for reducing binary restenosis and TLR. Clinical Impact The treatment for femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis (ISR) remains challenging clinical practice. One important reason is that no optimal treatment strategy was available. Drug-coated balloon angioplasty (DCB) and laser atherectomy (LA) have been extensively utilized to treat ISR; however, different combinations of these treatments further confused the clinicians’ choices. This network meta-analysis systematically investigated the difference between the currently available treatments regarding therapeutic effects and safety, indicating that DCB and LA+DCB may be the optimal treatment for decreasing the risk of binary restenosis and target lesion revascularization. The results of the current network meta-analysis help to resolve the confusion of clinicians in making the decision.

Paclitaxel-Coated versus Uncoated Balloon for Femoropopliteal In-Stent Restenosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Several prospective controlled trials to date have assessed the safety and efficacy of paclitaxel-coated balloon angioplasty (PCBA) versus uncoated balloon angioplasty (UCBA) for femoropopliteal (FP) in-stent restenosis (ISR). Therefore, this meta-analysis of prospective controlled trials aimed to summarize the results of these trials and present reliable conclusions. We systematically searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and CNKI databases for prospective randomized controlled trials (published between January 1, 2008, and July 31, 2021; no language restrictions) comparing PCBA with UCBA in the management of FP ISR. The main endpoints were recurrent restenosis, primary patency, freedom from target lesion revascularization (TLR), clinical improvement, ankle-brachial index (ABI), and major adverse events (MAEs). We assessed the pooled data using a fixed effects model. Of the 206 identified studies, seven were eligible and included in our analysis (N = 593 participants). Compared with UCBA, PCBA yielded a reduction in recurrent restenosis (odds ratio [OR], 0.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.13-0.38), a better primary patency (OR, 3.59; 95% CI, 1.72-7.47), an improved likelihood of freedom from TLR (OR, 2.70; 95% CI, 1.36-5.35), greater clinical improvement (OR, 2.38; 95% CI, 1.50-3.79), and a similar mean difference in ABI (0.02; 95% CI, -0.11-0.14) and OR in MAEs (0.71; 95% CI, 0.24-2.14). PCBA as a treatment strategy can achieve better short-term outcomes of FP ISR management, including potent recurrent restenosis-lowering and symptom-improving capacity without increased MAEs. Therefore, it is a promising therapeutic strategy for patients with FP ISR. This work was registered in PROSPERO, the international prospective register of systematic reviews (number: CRD42021261574).

The Diagnostic Value of Circulating Biomarkers and Role of Drug-Coated Balloons for In-Stent Restenosis in Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is an increasingly pathological condition that commonly affects the femoropopliteal arteries. The current fashionable treatment is percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA), often with stenting. However, the in-stent restenosis (ISR) rate after the stenting of the femoropopliteal (FP) district remains high. Many techniques have been proposed for the treatment of femoropopliteal ISR, such as intravascular brachytherapy, laser atherectomy, second stenting and drug-coated balloons angioplasty (DCB). DCB showed a significantly lower rate of restenosis and target lesions revascularization (TLR) compared to conventional PTA. However, further studies and multi-center RCTs with dedicated long-term follow-up are needed to verify the true efficiency of this approach. Nowadays, the correlation between PAD and inflammation biomarkers is well known. Multiple studies have shown that proinflammatory markers (such as C-reactive proteins) and the high plasma levels of microRNA could predict the outcomes after stent placement. In particular, circulating microRNA-320a, microRNA-3937, microRNA-642a-3p and microRNA-572 appear to hold promise in diagnosing ISR in patients with PAD, but also as predictors of stent patency. This narrative review intends to summarize the current knowledge on the value of circulating biomarkers as predictors of ISR and to foster the scientific debate on the advantages of using DCB in the treatment of ISR in the FP district.

Endovascular Treatment and Outcomes for Femoropopliteal In-Stent Restenosis: Insights from the XLPAD Registry.

Background There is limited “real-world” evidence examining treatment modalities and outcomes in patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease undergoing endovascular treatment of femoropopliteal (FP) in-stent restenosis (ISR). Materials and Methods We compared outcomes in 2,895 patients from the XLPAD registry (NCT01904851) between 2006 and 2019 treated for FP ISR (n = 347) and non-ISR (n = 2,548) lesions. Primary endpoint included major adverse limb events (MALE) at 1 year, a composite of all-cause death, target limb repeat revascularization, or major amputation. Results ISR patients were more frequently on antiplatelet (94.5% vs 89.4%, p=0.007) and statin (68.9% vs 60.3%, p=0.003) therapies. Lesion length was similar (ISR: 145 ± 99 mm vs. non-ISR: 142 ± 99 mm, p=0.55). Fewer treated ISR lesions were chronic total occlusions (47.3% vs. 53.7%, p=0.02) and severely calcified (22.4% vs. 44.7%, p < 0.001). Atherectomy (63.5% vs. 45.0%, p < 0.001) and drug-coated balloons (DCB; 4.7% vs. 1.7%, p < 0.001) were more frequently used in ISR lesions. The distal embolization rate was higher in ISR lesions (2.4% vs. 0.9%, p=0.02). Repeat revascularization (21.5% vs. 16.7%, p=0.04; Figure) was higher and freedom from MALE at 1 year was significantly lower (87% vs. 92.5%, p < 0.001) in the ISR group. Conclusion Atherectomy and DCB are more frequently used to treat FP ISR lesions. Patients with FP ISR have more intraprocedural distal embolization, higher repeat revascularization procedures, and lower freedom from MALE at 1 year.

The Safety and Efficacy of Different Endovascular Treatments for In-Stent Restenosis of the Femoropopliteal Artery: A Network Meta-analysis

Review of the MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases through February 1, 2021. There were 1348 patients from 14 eligible studies (10 prospective, randomized; 4 retrospective) with femoropopliteal artery in-stent restenosis (FP-ISR) who underwent plain old balloon angioplasty (POBA), drug-coated balloon angioplasty (DCBA), peripheral cutting balloon angioplasty, Viabahn endoprosthesis, directional atherectomy, excimer laser atherectomy, and combination therapy. Technical success rates were significantly higher for Viabahn endoprosthesis than for DCBA and POBA alone. The 1-year primary patency rates were significantly higher for excimer laser atherectomy plus DCBA than excimer laser atherectomy plus POBA and POBA alone. Excimer laser atherectomy plus DCB showed encouraging results regarding one-year primary patency rates for femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis.

Diabetes mellitus and femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis.

Background: The influence of diabetes mellitus (DM) on recurrent in-stent restenosis (ISR) of femoropopliteal arteries remains understudied. We investigated whether DM has an impact on recurrent restenosis after femoropopliteal stenting in patients included in the dRug-coatEd balloon angioPlasty for femoropopliteAl In-stent Restenosis (REPAIR) cooperation. Patients and methods: The REPAIR cooperation pooled the patient-level data from 3 randomized trials in which patients with ISR of femoropopliteal arteries received either drug-coated balloon (DCB) or plain balloon angioplasty. For this analysis, patients were divided in two groups based on whether they had or had not a DM diagnosis at the time of enrollment. The primary outcome was target lesion revascularization (TLR). The main secondary outcome was recurrent ISR. Other outcomes of interest were death, Rutherford class improvement and ankle-brachial index at follow-up. Results: 256 patients (DM, n=99 vs. non-DM, n=157) with 12-month follow-up were included in the analysis. Compared to non-DM patients, DM patients displayed no difference in terms of TLR [adjusted hazard ratio (95% Confidence intervals): 0.96 (0.55, 1.69), p=0.89] and recurrent ISR [1.04 (0.61, 1.77), p=0.88], whilst mortality was higher [9.38 (1.06, 83.11), p=0.044]. There were no differences between groups with respect to other secondary outcomes. The percutaneous treatment with DCB as compared to plain balloon angioplasty significantly reduced the risk of TLR and recurrent ISR without an excess risk of death irrespective of DM (p for interaction ≥0.70). Conclusions: In patients with femoropopliteal ISR, diabetes has a neutral effect on the risk of recurrence, but increases mortality at 12-month follow-up. DCB as compared to plain balloon angioplasty is associated with superior efficacy without trade-off in safety, regardless of diabetes.

Excimer laser atherectomy combined with drug-coated balloon angioplasty for the treatment of femoropopliteal arteriosclerosis obliterans.

It has been reported that excimer laser atherectomy combined with a drug-coated balloon (ELA+DCB) can achieve better results than simple balloon angioplasty, especially for the treatment of femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis. However, reports on the application of ELA+DCB in China for femoropopliteal arteriosclerosis obliterans are lacking. This study focuses on analysing the effectiveness and safety of ELA+DCB. This was a single-centre retrospective study that enrolled patients from November 2016 to January 2019 who had femoropopliteal arteriosclerosis obliterans treated by ELA+DCB. Preoperative demographics, operative details and postoperative follow-up outcomes were analysed statistically. There were 43 patients with an average patient age of 68.0±8.6 years; 79.1% were male. In 30 cases, the lesions were de novo and the others were in-stent restenosis (ISR). During the procedure, flow-limiting dissection (48.8%) was the main adverse event and there were 17 bailout stent implantations due to dissection. Mean (±sd) ankle-brachial index (ABI) in the patients was 0.42±0.31 before the operation and 0.83±0.13 before discharge. The mean (±sd) follow-up time was 29.35±9.71 months. The primary patency rate was 66.8%, 64.3% and 60.9% at 12, 24 and 36 months. Freedom from target lesion revascularisation (TLR) was 85.7%, 80.7% and 75.3% at 12, 24 and 36 months. Rutherford categories also greatly improved during follow-up. Overall mortality was 6.9% (3/48), and no deaths were related to the intervention. The use of ELA+DCB had good clinical benefit for femoropopliteal arteriosclerosis obliterans, which had good primary patency and freedom from TLR, although intraoperative complications still required attention. Multicentre randomised controlled trials with long-term follow-up are needed.

The safety and efficacy of different endovascular treatments for in-stent restenosis of the femoropopliteal artery: A network meta-analysis.

Introduction: Femoropopliteal artery in-stent restenosis (ISR) remains a challenging treatment. We performed a network meta-analysis (NWM) for femoropopliteal artery ISR to explore the safety and efficacy of endovascular therapeutic strategies. Methods: The MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases were used as data sources. The network meta-analysis (NWM) approach used random-effects models based on the frequentist framework. We compared technical success rate, primary patency, target lesion revascularization (TLR), and major amputation at the 12-month follow-up for femoropopliteal artery ISR. Results: In total, 14 eligible studies (10 prospective and four retrospective; 1348 patients; and eight treatment modalities - standard balloon angioplasty (SBA), drug-coated balloon (DCB), peripheral cutting balloon angioplasty (PCBA), Viabahn endoprosthesis (VBE), directional atherectomy (DA), excimer laser atherectomy (ELA), and combinations - were included. The primary patency rates (at 6 months) were significantly higher for DCB and ELA+DCB than for SBA and ELA+SBA. ELA+DCB had higher primary patency rates (at 12 months) than ELA+SBA and SBA. The technical success rates were significantly lower for DCB and SBA than for VBE. The major amputation rates were significantly lower for ELA+DCB than for DCB. Based on the surface values under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA), ELA+DCB was considered the best treatment in terms of primary patency at 6 months (SUCRA = 91.1), primary patency at 12 months (SUCRA = 82.3), and TLR (SUCRA = 83.4). Conclusion: ELA+DCB showed positive encouraging results in primary patency (6, 12 months), TLR, and major amputation in femoropopliteal ISR. The efficacy and safety of ELA+DCB are worthy of further investigation. PROSPERO Registration No.: CRD42021246674.

Long-term clinical effectiveness of a drug-coated balloon for in-stent restenosis in Femoropopliteal lesions

BackgroundThe short-term efficacy of paclitaxel-coated balloons (PCBs) has been established in femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis (ISR) lesions. The aim of this study was to compare 5-year clinical outcomes of patients with femoropopliteal ISR lesions undergoing percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) with and without PCB.MethodsAfter 1:1 propensity score matching, we extracted 50 patients with femoropopliteal ISR lesions undergoing PTA with (n = 25) and without (n = 25) IN.PACT PCB (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) from 106 consecutive ISR patients treated in our hospital between 2009 and 2015. We compared the 5-year outcomes between PCB and non-PCB groups. The primary endpoint was the cumulative 5-year incidence of recurrent restenosis. All-cause mortality, target lesion revascularization (TLR) and unplanned major amputation were also assessed.ResultsThe primary patency after PCB treatment at 5 years was significantly higher than the patency after non-PCB treatment (65.7% vs. 18.7%; hazard ratio [HR]: 6.11; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 2.57–16.82; p < 0.001), as well as freedom from TLR (77.6% vs. 53.8%; HR: 3.55; 95% CI: 1.21–12.83; p = 0.020). All-cause mortality and unplanned major amputation rates did not significantly differ between the two groups. The Cox proportional hazard multivariate analysis showed that PCB was independently associated with preventing recurrent restenosis (HR: 0.17; 95% CI: 0.06–0.41; p < 0.001).ConclusionsAt 5 years, patients with femoropopliteal ISR lesions undergoing PCB treatment showed significantly lower recurrent restenosis than those that underwent non-PCB treatment.Evidence-based medicineLevel of Evidence: Level 2b, Non-randomized controlled cohort/follow-up study.

Stent-grafts are the best way to treat complex in-stent restenosis lesions in the superficial femoral artery: 24-month results from a multicenter randomized trial.

This clinical trial aims to evaluate the outcome (up to 24-months) of the treatment of in-stent restenotic or reoccluded lesions in the femoropopliteal arteries, by comparing the treatment of the GORE® VIABAHN® Endoprosthesis with PROPATEN Bioactive Surface (W. L. Gore & Associates, Flagstaff, AZ, USA) with a standard PTA treatment. The primary effectiveness endpoint of the study is the primary patency at 12 months, defined as no evidence of restenosis or occlusion within the originally treated lesion based on color-flow duplex ultrasound (PSVR≤2.5) and without target lesion revascularization (TLR) within 12 months. The primary safety endpoint is the proportion of subjects who experience serious device-related adverse events within 30 days postprocedure. A total of 83 patients meeting inclusion and exclusion criteria have been enrolled in this prospective, randomized, multicenter, controlled study in 7 sites between June 2010 and February 2012. Patients with an in-stent restenosis lesion in the femoropopliteal region and a Rutherford classification from 2 to 5 could be enrolled. After screening, the patient was randomized to either treatment with the GORE® VIABAHN® Endoprosthesis with PROPATEN Bioactive Surface or treatment with a standard PTA balloon. After the index procedure, follow-up visits at 1 month, 6 months, 12 months and 24 months were required. A color flow Doppler ultrasound was performed on all follow-up visits and a quantitative vascular angiography at the 12-month follow-up visit. In the VIABAHN® group, 39 patients (74.4% male; mean age 67.69±9.77 years) were enrolled and in the PTA group, 44 patients (72.7% male; mean age 68.98±9.71 years) were enrolled, which is comparable for both treatment groups. In the VIABAHN® group, 34 (87.2%) patients presented with claudication (Rutherford 2 and 3) and 5 (12.8%) patients had critical limb ischemia (Rutherford 4 and 5). In the PTA group, 36 (81.8%) patients were claudicants (Rutherford 2 and 3) and 8 (18.2%) presented with critical limb ischemia (Rutherford 4 and 5). The 12-month primary patency rates were 74.8% for the VIABAHN® group and 28.0% for the PTA group (P<0.001). No patients were reported to have device-related serious adverse events within 30 days postprocedure. The primary patency rate for the 24-month follow-up was 58.40% in the Viabahn group and 11.60% in the PTA group (P<0.001). The treatment of femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis with a VIABAHN® Endoprosthesis shows significantly better results than the treatment with a standard PTA balloon. This demonstrates that the use of the VIABAHN® Endoprosthesis is a very promising tool for the treatment of complex in-stent restenosis.

Long-Term Effectiveness of a Drug-Eluting Stent for Femoropopliteal In-Stent Restenosis: Subanalysis of the Zilver PTX Japan Post-Market Surveillance Study

Purpose To present a subgroup analysis of patients from a large real-world study evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the Zilver PTX drug-eluting stent (DES) for treating femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis (ISR). Materials and Methods This study examined patients enrolled in the Zilver PTX Japan Post-Market Surveillance Study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02254837), a prospective, multicenter registry of 904 symptomatic patients with 1082 femoropopliteal lesions treated with the DES at 95 institutions in Japan. Five-year outcomes, including mortality, stent radiography, freedom from target lesion revascularization (TLR), and clinical benefit, were evaluated for 177 patients (mean age 74.2±8.3 years; 118 men) with 204 ISR lesions treated with the Zilver DES. Over half of the patients (108, 61.0%) were diabetic. Mean lesion length was 17.8±10.4 cm, and a third (72, 35.3%) were total occlusions. Outcome measures were all-cause mortality, thrombosis, freedom from TLR, and clinical benefit, defined as freedom from persistent or deteriorating ischemic symptoms. Results No device-related or procedure-related deaths or paclitaxel-related adverse events were reported. All-cause mortality was 25.1% at 5 years. Stent fracture was observed in 5 stents through 5 years. The 5-year rate of freedom from clinically-driven TLR was 73.4%, and the rate of clinical benefit was 63.6%. Improvement in Rutherford category and ankle-brachial index was sustained through 5 years. Conclusion The safety and effectiveness of the Zilver PTX stent for the treatment of femoropopliteal ISR lesions demonstrated that this device provides a favorable treatment option in this difficult-to-treat subgroup.

JetStream Atherectomy for the Treatment of In-Stent Restenosis of the Femoropopliteal Segment: One-Year Results of the JET-ISR Study

Purpose: To report the results of a study evaluating JetStream atherectomy for the treatment of in-stent restenosis (ISR). Materials and Methods: The JetStream XC atherectomy device, a rotational cutter with aspiration capacity, was evaluated in a prospective, multicenter study (JET-ISR) of 60 patients (mean age 70.2±10.8 years; 40 men) with femoropopliteal ISR (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02730234). Lesion length was 19.9±13.5 cm; 33 (55%) were chronic total occlusions and 26 (45%) were TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus class D. No drug-bearing device was allowed, and stenting was performed only for bailout. Lesion characteristics and stent integrity were evaluated by an independent core laboratory. The primary endpoint was target lesion revascularization (TLR) at 6 months with bailout stenting considered as TLR. Secondary endpoints included TLR (without bailout stenting) and clinical patency (no restenosis or TLR) at 1 year. The Kaplan-Meier method was employed to evaluate time-to-event endpoints; estimates are given with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Bailout stenting was required in 6 of 60 limbs (10%). There were no stent fractures or deformities after atherectomy + adjunctive angioplasty reported by the core laboratory. Kaplan-Meier estimates of freedom from TLR at 6 months and 1 year were 79.3% (95% CI 68.9% to 89.8%) and 60.7% (95% CI 47.8% to 73.6%), respectively. When bailout stenting at the index procedure was not considered a TLR event, freedom from TLR estimates at 6 months and 1 year were 89.3% (95% CI 81.2% to 97.4%) and 66.8% (95% CI 54.3% to 74.2%), respectively. Clinical patency rates at 6 months and 1 year were 77.5% (31/40) and 51.7% (15/29), respectively. Conclusion: JetStream atherectomy using the XC device and no drug-eluting devices is feasible, with good clinical patency and 1-year freedom from TLR.

Drug-eluting balloon treatment in femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis of different lengths.

In this study, we present one-year results of drugeluting balloon treatment of femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis. A total of 62 patients (48 males, 14 females; mean age 64.2±9.1 years; range, 54 to 81 years) who underwent drugeluting balloon stenting for femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis between August 2013 and October 2017 were included in the study. The patients were classified into three groups based on the narrowing length of stenosis in the stents. Group/Class 1 (n=17): narrowing <1/2 of the stent length; Group/Class 2 (n=22): narrowing >1/2 of the stent length, not totally occluded; and Group/Class 3 (n=23): totally occluded. In-stent restenosis was treated with drug-eluting balloon treatment. There was a significant difference among all classes in terms of in-stent restenosis. The length of stenosis was a predictor for in-stent restenosis. The mean stent length was 107.7±24.6 mm in Group 1, 164.6±17.9 mm in Group 2, and 180±19.3 mm in Group 3. For non-occluded in-stent restenosis, restenosis rate at one year after balloon angioplasty was 47.1% in Group 1, 86.4% in Group 2, and 95.7% in Group 3. Femoropopliteal bypass was performed in five patients in whom treatment failed. None of the patients required amputation. The length of in-stent restenosis in the femoropopliteal arterial stents is an important predictor for recurrent stenosis, when re-flow is achieved with drug-eluting balloons.