Peripheral Arterial Stents: Types, Applications, and Clinical Outcomes

Peripheral arterial stents represent a cornerstone technology in the endovascular management of peripheral arterial disease, providing mechanical scaffolding to maintain vessel patency after intervention. Since their introduction in the peripheral vasculature in the early 1990s, stent designs and materials have evolved significantly, with specialized platforms developed to address the unique biomechanical challenges of different arterial territories. This comprehensive guide explores the types, applications, technical considerations, and clinical outcomes of peripheral arterial stents, providing evidence-based insights for healthcare professionals navigating this important component of endovascular therapy.

Stent Types and Design Characteristics

Self-Expanding Stents

Primary option for most peripheral applications:

  • 材料特性:
  • Nitinol (nickel-titanium alloy) predominance
  • Shape memory characteristics
  • Superelasticity
  • Fatigue resistance

  • Biocompatibility considerations

  • Design variations:

  • Open-cell vs. closed-cell architecture
  • Strut thickness and configuration
  • Radial force characteristics
  • Flexibility-rigidity balance

  • Foreshortening properties

  • Delivery systems:

  • Over-the-wire platforms
  • Rapid-exchange systems
  • Triaxial delivery designs
  • Deployment mechanisms
  • Recapturability features

Balloon-Expandable Stents

Specialized applications in peripheral interventions:

  • Material options:
  • Stainless steel
  • Cobalt-chromium alloys
  • Platinum-chromium alloys
  • Mechanical properties

  • Radiopacity characteristics

  • Design features:

  • Strut patterns
  • Radial strength
  • Recoil resistance
  • Conformability limitations

  • Crush resistance

  • Delivery considerations:

  • Balloon-mounted systems
  • Precise placement capabilities
  • Deployment pressure requirements
  • Post-dilation strategies
  • Sizing principles

Covered Stents and Stent-Grafts

Fabric-covered scaffolding devices:

  • Construction types:
  • ePTFE-covered stents
  • Dacron-covered platforms
  • Sandwich designs
  • Attachment methods

  • Edge configurations

  • Platform variations:

  • Self-expanding covered stents
  • Balloon-expandable covered stents
  • Hybrid designs
  • Specialized applications

  • 尺寸考虑因素

  • Material considerations:

  • Covering thickness
  • Porosity characteristics
  • Thrombogenicity
  • Biocompatibility
  • Durability

Drug-Eluting Stents

Combining scaffolding with drug delivery:

  • Drug options:
  • Paclitaxel platforms
  • Sirolimus and analogs
  • Drug dose density
  • Elution kinetics

  • Tissue distribution

  • Delivery mechanisms:

  • Polymer-based systems
  • Polymer-free platforms
  • Reservoir designs
  • Abluminal vs. circumferential

  • Elution duration

  • 可用平台:

  • Zilver PTX (Cook Medical)
  • Eluvia (Boston Scientific)
  • Technical specifications
  • Size ranges
  • Regulatory status

Specialized Stent Designs

Addressing specific anatomical challenges:

  • Bifurcation stents:
  • Dedicated designs
  • Provisional approaches
  • 技术考虑因素
  • 证据限制

  • Anatomical applications

  • Tapered stents:

  • Diameter transitions
  • Applications in conical vessels
  • 可用平台
  • Sizing principles

  • 技术考虑因素

  • Interwoven stents:

  • SUPERA (Abbott)
  • Biomimetic design
  • Flexibility characteristics
  • Crush resistance
  • Technical deployment considerations

Anatomical Applications and Considerations

Aortoiliac Interventions

Proximal large-vessel applications:

  • Common iliac artery:
  • Balloon-expandable preference
  • 尺寸考虑因素
  • Deployment techniques
  • Outcomes data

  • 并发症管理

  • External iliac artery:

  • 自膨胀式与气球膨胀式
  • Flexibility requirements
  • Coverage of bifurcation
  • Extension considerations

  • Technical approaches

  • Aortic bifurcation:

  • Kissing stent techniques
  • CERAB (Covered Endovascular Reconstruction of Aortic Bifurcation)
  • 技术考虑因素
  • Long-term outcomes
  • Failure modes

Femoropopliteal Interventions

Challenging dynamic territory:

  • Superficial femoral artery:
  • Self-expanding platform dominance
  • Lesion length considerations
  • Biomechanical forces
  • Stent fracture risk

  • 再狭窄模式

  • Popliteal artery:

  • Limited stenting indications
  • Flexion point considerations
  • Specialized flexible designs
  • Outcomes limitations

  • Alternative approaches

  • Biomechanical considerations:

  • Compression forces
  • Torsion effects
  • Elongation and foreshortening
  • Repetitive stress
  • Fracture implications

Infrapopliteal Interventions

Below-the-knee applications:

  • Tibial vessels:
  • Limited stenting role
  • Bailout indications
  • Vessel diameter challenges
  • 可用平台

  • 证据限制

  • 技术考虑因素:

  • Sizing principles
  • Deployment techniques
  • Post-dilation approaches
  • Overlap management

  • Access strategies

  • 临床情景:

  • 限流夹层
  • 弹性反冲
  • Calcified lesions
  • Critical limb ischemia
  • Wound-related artery concept

Technical Considerations and Procedural Aspects

程序前规划

Setting the stage for success:

  • Imaging assessment:
  • Angiography
  • CTA/MRA
  • Duplex ultrasound
  • Lesion characterization

  • Reference vessel measurement

  • Stent selection principles:

  • Platform choice based on location
  • Sizing methodology
  • Length determination
  • Landing zone planning

  • Overlap strategy

  • Access planning:

  • Antegrade vs. retrograde
  • Sheath size requirements
  • Distance to target lesion
  • Vessel tortuosity
  • Alternative access considerations

部署技术

Optimizing stent placement:

  • Self-expanding stent deployment:
  • Positioning considerations
  • Deployment sequence
  • Post-dilation strategy
  • Sizing principles

  • Overlap technique

  • Balloon-expandable stent deployment:

  • Precise positioning
  • Inflation parameters
  • Expansion assessment
  • Post-dilation considerations

  • Recoil management

  • Complex scenarios:

  • Bifurcation approaches
  • Overlapping stents
  • Calcified lesions
  • Tortuous segments
  • Ostial lesions

Periprocedural Management

优化成果：

  • Anticoagulation protocols:
  • Heparin dosing
  • ACT monitoring
  • Direct thrombin inhibitors
  • Reversal considerations

  • Post-procedure management

  • Antiplatelet therapy:

  • Pre-procedure loading
  • Dual antiplatelet duration
  • Single antiplatelet maintenance
  • Special populations

  • Bleeding risk management

  • Lesion preparation:

  • Pre-dilation strategy
  • Sizing principles
  • Atherectomy considerations
  • Specialty balloon use
  • Preparation adequacy assessment

临床结果和证据基础

疗效终点

Measuring success:

  • Technical success metrics:
  • Procedural success rates
  • Residual stenosis
  • Acute luminal gain
  • Procedural complications

  • Device delivery success

  • Intermediate outcomes:

  • Primary patency rates
  • Target lesion revascularization
  • Binary restenosis
  • Duplex-derived metrics

  • Platform-specific data

  • Clinical endpoints:

  • Symptom improvement
  • 伤口愈合
  • 肢体抢救
  • Quality of life measures
  • Functional status

Key Clinical Trials

Evidence landscape by location:

  • Aortoiliac stent trials:
  • BRAVISSIMO
  • ICE
  • CRISP-US
  • MOBILITY

  • DURABILITY

  • Femoropopliteal stent trials:

  • Zilver PTX Randomized Trial
  • RESILIENT
  • COMPLETE SE
  • IMPERIAL (Eluvia vs. Zilver PTX)

  • MAJESTIC

  • Infrapopliteal stent trials:

  • ACHILLES
  • YUKON-BTK
  • DESTINY
  • IDEAS
  • 有限的随机数据

比较效益

Stenting vs. other approaches:

  • Versus plain balloon angioplasty:
  • Location-specific differences
  • Lesion-specific outcomes
  • 保释支架适应症
  • 成本因素

  • 患者选择因素

  • Versus drug-coated balloons:

  • Complementary vs. competitive technologies
  • Lesion-specific considerations
  • 综合方法
  • Long-term outcomes

  • 成本效益

  • Versus surgical bypass:

  • BASIL trial insights
  • 患者选择因素
  • 解剖学方面的考虑
  • Durability comparisons
  • 对生活质量的影响

并发症和处理

Stent-Specific Complications

认可和管理：

  • Stent fracture:
  • Classification systems
  • Risk factors
  • Detection methods
  • Clinical implications

  • 管理方法

  • In-stent restenosis:

  • Mechanisms
  • Incidence by location
  • Predictive factors
  • Treatment options

  • 预防战略

  • Stent thrombosis:

  • Acute vs. subacute vs. late
  • Risk factors
  • Presentation
  • 管理方法
  • 预防战略

一般并发症

Common issues with stenting:

  • Edge dissection:
  • Recognition
  • Classification
  • Management options
  • 预防战略

  • Long-term implications

  • Vessel perforation:

  • Risk factors
  • Recognition
  • Management algorithm
  • Covered stent role

  • Prevention approaches

  • 访问网站的复杂性:

  • 血肿
  • 假性动脉瘤
  • 动静脉瘘
  • 感染
  • 管理方法

特别考虑因素和未来方向

Challenging Scenarios

Complex stenting situations:

  • Heavily calcified lesions:
  • Preparation strategies
  • Stent selection
  • Deployment techniques
  • Expansion challenges

  • Outcomes considerations

  • In-stent restenosis management:

  • Drug-coated balloon role
  • Repeat stenting considerations
  • Atherectomy applications
  • Drug-eluting technologies

  • Surgical options

  • Stent failure patterns:

  • Fracture management
  • Restenosis approaches
  • 血栓治疗
  • Recurrent interventions
  • Surgical conversion

新兴技术

Next-generation approaches:

  • 生物可吸收支架:
  • Concept and rationale
  • 可用平台
  • 技术考虑因素
  • Current evidence

  • Limitations and challenges

  • Novel drug-eluting technologies:

  • Next-generation drugs
  • Polymer innovations
  • Elution kinetics
  • Dual-drug approaches

  • Extended release formulations

  • Specialized designs:

  • 仿生方法
  • Dedicated bifurcation platforms
  • Micromesh technologies
  • Nanotechnology applications
  • Bioactive surfaces

医疗免责声明

重要通知: This information is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Peripheral arterial stenting represents a specialized endovascular intervention that should only be performed by qualified healthcare professionals with appropriate training and expertise. The techniques and technologies discussed should only be implemented under appropriate medical supervision. Individual treatment decisions should be based on patient-specific factors, current clinical guidelines, and physician judgment. If you have been diagnosed with peripheral arterial disease or are experiencing symptoms such as leg pain with walking, non-healing wounds, or color changes in your feet, please consult with a healthcare professional for proper evaluation and treatment recommendations. This article is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

结论

Peripheral arterial stents have evolved significantly since their introduction, with specialized designs now available to address the unique challenges of different vascular territories. The selection of appropriate stent type, sizing, and deployment technique requires careful consideration of anatomical location, lesion characteristics, and patient factors. While the evidence base continues to evolve, stenting has demonstrated particular utility in aortoiliac disease and complex femoropopliteal lesions, with more selective applications in the infrapopliteal territory. As technology advances with drug-eluting platforms, specialized designs, and potentially bioresorbable options, the role of stenting in peripheral arterial disease management continues to expand. However, the optimal application of these devices requires thoughtful integration into comprehensive treatment strategies that consider both immediate technical success and long-term clinical outcomes.

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