Endovascular stenting for chronic femoro-iliac venous obstructive disease: Clinical efficacy and short-term outcomes

Abstract Purpose To report the clinical efficacy and mid-term outcomes of endovascular treatment in patients with chronic, symptomatic, post-thrombotic femoro-iliac venous obstruction. Materials and methods Forty-two patients with post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) presenting with femoro-iliac venous obstructive lesions treated in our institution by endovascular approach between March 2012 and October 2017 were retrospectively included. There were 27 women and 15 men with a mean age of 47.3 ± 17 (SD) years (range: 22–86 years). Procedure included first venous recanalization, then pre-dilatation and self-expandable metallic stenting of the narrowed or occluded iliac and/or femoral veins. Severity of PTS and quality of life were assessed at baseline and 3 months after the intervention respectively, using Villalta score and Chronic Venous Insufficiency Questionnaire (CIVIQ-20) scale. Imaging follow-up evaluation of stent patency was based on the results of duplex Doppler ultrasound and computed tomography. Results Immediate technical success was achieved in 41/42 (97.6%) patients, without any major complications. Primary patency, primary assisted patency and secondary patency at the end of the median imaging follow-up of 18.1 months (IQR, 9.7–34.4) were achieved in 29/42 (66.7%) patients, 33/42 (78.6%) patients and 37/42 (88.1%) patients, respectively. Median Villalta and CIVIQ-20 scores decreased from 14 (IQR, 10–19) and 57 (IQR, 39–72) at baseline, respectively, to 5 (IQR, 2–9) and 30 (IQR, 24–50) 3 months after the procedure, respectively (P  Conclusion This study confirms the high clinical efficacy and favorable mid-term outcomes of endovascular stenting in patients with chronic symptomatic femoro-iliac venous obstructive lesions.