Results of iliac stenting and aortofemoral grafting for iliac artery occlusions.

Objective: To compare long-term results of percutaneous iliac artery stenting (PCIS) with aortobifemoral (ABF) grafting for patients with symptomatic iliac artery occlusions.

Methods: A retrospective review of 229 patients (January 2000 to December 2011) with symptomatic iliac artery occlusions was performed. In 100 patients, 103 PCIS procedures were performed, and 101 patients underwent ABF grafting. Outcome data including periprocedural complications, improvement in ankle-brachial index, morbidity, and mortality were collected in a vascular registry. Kaplan-Meier estimates for patency and survival were analyzed. Univariate (Fisher exact test) and multivariate analyses of variables associated with the loss of primary patency were performed.

Results: Patients in the ABF grafting group were younger (60 ± 0.9 years old vs 65 ± 1.2 years old; P = .002) and more commonly had a history of nicotine abuse (97% vs 86%; P = .002), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (85% vs 70%; P = .02), and a greater incidence of superficial femoral artery disease (45% vs 24%; P = .001). The most common presenting symptoms in both groups consisted of intermittent claudication (66% ABF vs 71% PCIS), rest pain (20% ABF vs 17% PCIS), and ulceration or gangrene of toes (14% ABF vs 15% PCIS). At 72 months, the primary patency for ABF bypass was greater than for PCIS (91% vs 73%; P = .010). Secondary patency rates were equivalent in both groups (98% ABF vs 85% PCIS). Survival in the ABF bypass group was significantly greater than in the PCIS group (76% vs 68%; P = .013). Hyperlipidemia (hazard ratio, 2.55; P = .049) and concurrent superficial femoral artery lesion (hazard ratio, 2.61; P = .026) were factors associated with the loss of primary patency for the entire cohort. The average hospital stay was 7 ± 2 days in the ABF group and 1 ± 0.3 days in the PCIS group (P = .0001). There were no periprocedural deaths in the PCIS group; there were four deaths in the ABF group (P = .058). In the PCIS group, ankle-brachial index increased from 0.66 to 0.89, and in the ABF group, ankle-brachial index increased from 0.54 to 0.98 (both groups, P < .001).

Conclusions: This study demonstrates that PCIS remains a suitable, less invasive first-line therapy for iliac artery occlusions. PCIS has lower morbidity, shorter hospital length of stay, and equivalent secondary patency but inferior primary patency compared with ABF.