Balloon-expandable stents in lesions of the iliac arteries: Early- and follow-up results of 65 interventions

69 balloon-expandable vascular endoprostheses (Palmaz stents) were placed in 65 iliac arteries of 57 patients. The indications for stent placement were total occlusions (n = 15), restenoses after PTA (n = 13), dissections (n = 4), post-operative strictures (n = 3) or others (n = 30). The peak systolic pressure gradient dropped from 43.9 to 2.9, the mean pressure gradient to 1.9 mmHg after stent placement. This was significantly lower than conventional PTA (residual peak systolic pressure gradient: 5.8). Complications occurred in 7.7% of all interventions. 78.4% of the patients showed no limiting claudication after stent placement. Angiographic controls after 47 weeks demonstrated an average intima proliferation of 0.4 mm, not leading to significant restenosis. Cumulative patency after 16 months was 96%. Iliac stents became an effective and in certain situations indispensable adjuvant to PTA.