Outcomes of excimer laser ablation combined with drug-coated balloon for atherosclerotic lesions in below-the-knee arteries / 中华普通外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the safety and efficacy of excimer laser ablation (ELA) combined with drug-coated balloon (DCB) for the below-the-knee (BTK) artery lesions.Methods:From Jun 2019 to Nov 2022, 22 patients receiving ELA combined with DCB in atherosclerotic lesions of BTK artery at these two centers were retrospectively analyzed.Results:In these 22 patients there were 3 (13.6%) suffering from stenosis and 19 (86.4%) from chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesions. The mean length of lesion was (25.6±5.7) cm. The technical success rate was 95.5%. Flow-limiting dissection was found in 1 (4.5%) patient and a bailout stent was deployed. The mean ankle-brachial index (ABI) significantly improved during the follow-up period compared with that before the treatment. The median follow-up time was 21.5 months. The 1-year primary patency rate was 80.3%Conclusion:ELA combined with DCB was safe and effective in the treatment of atherosclerotic lesions of BTK artery, improving the primary patency.