Endovascular Treatment of Infra-inguinal Arterial Occlusive Disease in Patients with Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE:To present the early and mid-term results of PTA for femoropopliteal lesions in diabetic patients, performed by the cardiovascular surgeons.STUDY DESIGN:Experimental study.PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY:Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Ankara City Hospital, Turkey, from August 2015 to April 2018.METHODOLOGY:Seventy-nine patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and lower limb arterial occlusive disease underwent endo-interventions causing Rutherford Class 2-5 pedal ischemia. Study end points included ankle brachial index (ABI) and primary patency (PP) evaluated through Kaplan-Meier analyses.RESULTS:The technical success rate was 92.4% with a mean follow-up period of 13.3 ± 9.2 months. Bailout stenting was required in 27 (34.2%) of the lesions and only 7 (8.9%) patients required percutaneous reintervention at the end of the follow-up period. Kaplan-Meier analysis of the bailout stenting group revealed higher primary patency and lower reintervention rates at 24 months when compared with the PTA group (70.8%, 57.7%  and 80.5% 65.9%, respectively).CONCLUSION:Endovascular procedures can be performed by cardiovascular surgeons in the early and mid-term with high success and low complication rates in patients with diabetes mellitus. Key Words: Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, Endovascular arterial intervention, Diabetes, Femoro-popliteal occlusion, Revascularisation, Lower limb arterial occlusion.