[Atherectomy in patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans: angiographic follow-up study of 186 lesions in 146 patients].
Atherectomy (ATE) is a new catheter-mediated technique for the removal of atheroma in patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO). ATE was performed using 7-10 Fr. Simpson Peripheral Athero Track catheters at 186 sites in 146 patients, whose lesions involved 49 common iliac arteries, 66 external iliac arteries, 68 femoral arteries and three other arteries. The initial success rate was 94.1%. The mean percent of the diameter stenosis was reduced from 79.0 +/- 1.2% (mean +/- SD) to 22.7 +/- 1.0%. There were two cases of perforation that required surgical treatment (1.1%). The complication rate was 4.4%. The 0.5-, 1-, 2- and 3-year patency rates were 87.6%, 79.6%, 62.5% and 62.5%, respectively. The rate of long-term patency in each segment of arterial lesions revealed that the patency rate in the common iliac artery was significantly higher than the rates in the external iliac artery (p < 0.05) and femoral artery (p < 0.01). The patency rates for long lesions (> or = 2.0 cm) and occluded lesions were significantly (p < 0.01) lower than those for short lesions (< 2.0 cm). Diabetic patients had a higher re-stenosis rate than nondiabetic patients (p < 0.05). In conclusion, ATE is an effective new method for the treatment of patients with ASO.