Popliteal artery stenting using flexible tantalum stents

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of stent therapy for the treatment of residual stenoses after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of popliteal stenoses and occlusions. In a prospective single-center study, flexible tantalum stents were implanted in 32 popliteal arteries for the treatment of residual stenosis greater than 50% after PTA of stenoses (n = 17) or occlusions (n = 15) in the P1 (n = 16), the P2 (n = 13), or both P1 and P2 segment (n = 3). Follow-up patency was assessed by clinical examination, ankle-brachial index, and color Doppler sonography or angiography. Early stent thrombosis (10 days): 1 of 32 arteries (3%). 1-year and 2-year primary patency rate (PPR): 81% +/- 7.1% and 74% +/- 9.1%, respectively. 1-year PPRs for subgroups: stented stenoses versus stented occlusions: 88% +/- 7.8% vs 73% +/- 12.0%, p = 0.12; good lower limb runoff versus poor: 84.0% +/- 8.7% vs 76.0% +/- 12.4; p = 0.09; P1 versus P2: 77.3% +/- 9.8% vs 85.7% +/- 9.4%, p = 0.38. Recurrent PTA lesions treated with stents showed higher restenosis rate than de novo lesions. The results of stent therapy of residual popliteal stenosis after PTA are encouraging and warrant further investigation.