Percutaneous endovascular treatment of innominate artery lesions: a single-centre experience on 77 lesions.

PURPOSE: To assess primary success and safety of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and/or stenting of innominate artery lesions and to compare its 30-day stroke/mortality level with the literature data.

METHODS

A total of 72 patients (77 stenoses, five recurrent, 58 symptomatic and 39 female) with seven innominate vessel occlusions, nine subocclusive lesions and 61 significant (>60%) stenoses of innominate artery treated between 2000 and 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. With the exception of seven, all procedures were performed using a transfemoral approach. A stent was implanted in 49 (63.6%) cases. Follow-up included neurological examination, carotid duplex scan and office/telephone interview.

RESULTS

Primary technical success was 93.5% (72/77). There was neither periprocedural (<48 h) death, nor major neurological complication. Minor periprocedural neurological complications consisted of 2/72 (2.6%) ipsilateral TIAs. Access site complications included 4 (5.2%) access site bleedings. Follow-up was achieved in 65/72 (90.3%) of all patients and 68 (88.3%) of all procedures for a mean of 42.3 months and revealed neither major neurological complication, nor additional TIA. The cumulative primary patency rate was 100% at 12 months, 98+/-1.6% at 24 months, and 69.9+/-8.5% at 96 months. The cumulative secondary patency rate was 100% at 12 and at 24 months, and 81.5+/-7.7% at 96 months. Log-rank test showed no significant difference (p=0.79) in primary cumulative patencies between PTA alone (n=28) or PTA/stent (n=49).

CONCLUSION

Transfemoral PTA with or without stent appears to be a safe treatment option for innominate artery lesions.