Infrapopliteal Angioplasty with a Long Over-the-Wire (OTW) Balloon in the Treatment of Severe Limb Ischemia in Diabetic Patients: A Retrospective Study.

Wang, Jue; Zhu, Yue-Qi; Zhao, Jun-Gong; Wang, Jian-Bo; Cheng, Ying-Sheng; Li, Ming-Hua; Wang, Wu; Zhang, Pei-Lei; Du, Zhuo-Ying

Background: The use of short balloons in the treatment of infrapopliteal arterial occlusive disease in diabetic patients often has a poor clinical outcome. Purpose: To retrospectively evaluate the safety and efficacy of a long over-the-wire (OTW) balloon as a primary percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) treatment for diabetic infrapopliteal severe limb ischemia. Material and Methods: Infrapopliteal PTA with a long OTW balloon was performed between April 2007 and March 2008 in 34 patients (53 limbs), including a total of 119 lesions. Patient age was 71.8±7.4 years. All patients had limb ischemic symptoms. Angiography was retrospectively analyzed, and every lesion categorized and classified according to its length and severity. The mean follow-up period was 7.4±2.6 months. Lower-limb magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) was performed every 3 months during follow-up, and clinical data were collected. Results: Altogether, 92% of patients were successfully treated. Ankle-brachial index (ABI) and transcutaneous oxygen tension (TcPO2) improved from 0.50±0.18 and 18.85±12.08 mmHg, respectively, before the procedure to 0.81±0.12 and 39.85±12.67 mmHg, respectively, after the procedure. At the end of follow-up, 29 patients had maintained a stable outcome. Five patients had symptom recurrence, and three of them underwent a second PTA. Two major amputations and four minor amputations were performed, with a 94% limb salvage rate and 59% patency rate. Conclusion: Infrapopliteal PTA with a long OTW balloon was feasible, with encouraging midterm outcome, in the treatment of severe limb ischemia in diabetic patients in this single-center case series. Further research is warranted to evaluate long-term outcome.

TRANSLUMINAL angioplasty; DIABETIC foot; ISCHEMIA treatment; PEOPLE with diabetes; BALLOONS; DISEASES

Acta Radiologica, 2009, Vol 50, Issue 4, p360

0284-1851

Academic Journal

10.1080/02841850902801239