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Introduction
Bare metal stents are a cornerstone device for endovascular procedures. Both self-expanding and balloon expandable stents offer structural stability and improved patency rates as compared to lesions treated with angioplasty alone. A major problem with bare metal stents is that they are susceptible to stent fracture and stenosis anywhere along their length. W.L. Gore’s Viabahn covered stent appears to have overcome these technical issues. This study evaluates 49 months of Viabahn usage and compares the outcomes to the published performance of bare metal stents.
Methods
Prospectively collected data from a single vascular surgeon’s office database was obtained between March 2007 and April 2011 (49 months). Superior femoral artery (SFA) lesions treated with the Viabahn covered stent were followed clinically for signs of failure.
Results
Over a 49-month study period 68 limbs (Left SFA-35, Right SFA- 33) were treated in 55 patients (29 males, 26 females, average age 74 years) using 125 stents (average 1.89 stents/ patient). Collected data was compared to the current published literature on bare metal stent performance. No observed stent fractures or midstent stenoses. Seven patients ( 10.3%) developed stent edge stenosis and all were treated successfully with a secondary endovascular procedure.
Conclusions
The Viabahn endoprosthesis outperforms bare metal stents of treated SFA lesions with respect to fracture and stenosis rates.