Comparison of drug-eluting balloon angioplasty with self-expanding interwoven nitinol stent deployment in patients with complex femoropopliteal lesions.

Objective The aim of this study was to compare the drug-eluting balloon with self-expanding interwoven nitinol stent deployment in patients with complex femoropopliteal lesions. Methods We retrospectively identified patients at our clinic with complex femoropopliteal artery lesions treated either with self-expanding interwoven nitinol stent or drug-eluting balloon. All patients had ankle-brachial index measured before and after the intervention, and regular clinical follow-up with Doppler ultrasonography was performed at six months and one year. Patients underwent peripheral angiography if needed. Results From April 2012 to July 2015, 107 patients with complex femoropopliteal lesions treated with using self-expanding interwoven nitinol stent ( N = 49, mean length 143.5 mm, mean follow-up of 14.1 ± 3.7 months) or drug-eluting balloon ( N = 58, mean length 140.6 mm, mean follow-up of 13.8 ± 4.1 months). The technical success rate was 100% in Supera® and 96.6% in drug-eluting balloon group. There were seven restenosis in self-expanding interwoven nitinol stent (SUS) group (84.8% patency) and 11 restenosis in drug-eluting balloon group (79.2% patency). A significant increase in the ankle-brachial index in both groups after intervention demonstrated a hemodynamic success (SUS group 0.45 ± 0.06, drug-eluting balloon group 0.43 ± 0.07). The mean Rutherford Becker Class significantly decreased in both groups after a follow-up of 12 months (SUS group 0.70 ± 0.73, drug-eluting balloon group 0.74 ± 0.75). Conclusion Deploying drug-eluting balloon or self-expanding interwoven nitinol stent in patients with complex femoropopliteal lesions are both safe and effective with high patency rates with no statistical difference for one-year primary patency rates between them.