Drug Eluting Stents Below the Knee: Patency, Amputation-Rate, and Mortality-A Systematic Review of the Literature.
Marco Suriano, Imam T P Ritonga, Konstantinos P Donas et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review examined clinical outcomes of drug-eluting stents (DES) for infrapopliteal arterial occlusions. It included 27 studies involving 2470 patients, with a mean age of 73.4 years. Average primary patency after DES treatment was 72.2% at 12 months; re-occlusion occurred in 21.6%, and mortality was 16.6%. The authors could not establish definitive relationships between patency, amputation rates, and mortality because the evidence was heterogeneous and data were incomplete.
Key findings
- Across 27 studies and 2470 patients, average DES patency was 72.2% at 12 months.
- The reported re-occlusion rate was 21.6%.
- The reported mortality rate was 16.6%.
- Heterogeneity and incomplete data prevented definitive correlations between patency, amputation rates, and mortality.
Why it matters
The review summarizes outcomes reported for DES in below-the-knee arterial disease, including patency and safety-related measures. However, the evidence does not allow reliable conclusions about how these outcomes relate to amputation or mortality. This uncertainty is important when interpreting the apparent patency results and highlights the need for better-standardized studies with longer follow-up.
What to keep in mind
The included evidence was heterogeneous and had incomplete data, preventing comprehensive stratification and definitive conclusions about patency, amputation, and mortality.