Endovascular treatment of iliac and common femoral arteries disease by the transradial access: A prospective, feasibility study.

AIM: To report feasibility and safety of endovascular interventions on iliac and common femoral arteries, using the transradial access (TRA).

METHODS: 100 consecutive patients (19 women; mean age 71, range 37-90years) with critical limb ischemia (30%) or claudication, and TASC A-D lesions in iliac or common femoral arteries, were prospectively enrolled, from January 2013 to June 2015, to be treated via the TRA. Exclusion criteria included no palpable radial arteries (RA) and the presence of a fistula for hemodialysis. Patients were evaluated for procedural technical success, in-hospital complications, and 30days clinical success (defined as improvement of at least one grade in the Rutherford classification of symptoms).

RESULTS: A total of 131 iliac and common femoral arteries lesions were treated (58 in common iliac arteries, 38 in external iliac arteries and 35 in common femoral arteries). Ninety-two stents were deployed in 58 patients. Procedural technical success was achieved in 91% of the lesions; with 95% technical success rate in common iliac arteries, 87% in external iliac arteries and 89% in common femoral arteries; with 72% technical success rate in occlusions and 98% in stenosis. No in-hospital complications were observed. At 30days, 93 patients (93%) had an improvement of at least one category in the Rutherford classification of symptoms (clinical success rate 93%); 12 patients (12%) had an asymptomatic occlusion of the RA.

CONCLUSIONS: TRA can be used to treat iliac and common femoral arteries lesions with a high grade of technical success and a low rate of complications.