The impact of plaque morphology in patients with peripheral artery disease on vessel dissection: an intravascular ultrasound observational study

Drug-coated balloon (DCB) is now available for endovascular treatment (EVT) of superficial femoral arteries (SFA). Although it has been reported that severe vessel dissection after balloon angioplasty was risk of restenosis, it is difficult to predict the vessel dissection patterns before balloon angioplasty. We investigated the correlation between plaque morphology and vessel dissection pattern after balloon angioplasty using the intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). A total of 73 de novo SFA lesions were enrolled in this study. IVUS examinations were measured at the minimum lumen area in the control angiogram. Plaque morphology, minimum lumen area (MLA) and vessel diameter at the same point were evaluated before and after the initial balloon angioplasty. Vessel dissection patterns after the initial balloon angioplasty were classified into 7 types (A to F). There were no severe dissection patterns which were more than type D dissection in this study. All patients were treated with DCB without any bailout stenting. No dissection was found in 35.6% (26/73). Type A, B and C dissections were seen in 17.8% (13/73), 40% (27/73) and 9.6% (7/73), respectively. Although there were no relations between plaque morphology and vessel dissection patterns ( p = 0.547), the MLA with dissection was larger than that without dissection (5.78 mm 2 versus 4.63 mm 2 , p = 0.032). Although the dissection patterns could not be predicted in non-severe (Non or A to C) dissection, our result might suggest that IVUS image has the potential to reduce severe dissection.