Purpose: To present the early and long-term results of aortoiliac kissing stents implantation and evaluate the risk factors affecting patency.
Methods: The data were retrospectively reviewed on 68 patients (64 men; mean age 55+/-11, range 32-77) who underwent kissing stents implantation during a 12-year period. The majority of patients (64, 94%) had claudication; 4 patients had rest pain. All were smokers. There were bilateral or unilateral stenoses in 42 (62%) patients, and unilateral occlusion and contralateral stenosis in 26 (38%). Lesions were treated with simultaneous implantation of self-expanding (n=52) or balloon-expandable (n=16) stents. After the procedure, patency was determined with Doppler ultrasonography or angiography at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months and annually thereafter. Primary, assisted primary, and secondary patency rates were calculated with Kaplan-Meier analysis on an intention-to-treat basis, and risk factors affecting the patency rates were determined with the Cox regression analysis.
Results: All procedures were technically and clinically successful. Complications occurred in 12%, but none required surgery. The follow-up period was 35+/-31 months. Primary, assisted primary, and secondary patency rates, respectively, were 76%, 90%, and 94% at 1 year; 63%, 86%, and 92% at 3 years; and 63%, 64%, and 81% at 5 years. In multivariate analysis, age <50 years and presence of iliac occlusion were identified as risk factors for reduced primary and assisted primary patency; a crossed configuration of kissing stents was identified as a risk factor for reduced primary patency.
Conclusion: Implantation of kissing stents is a safe and effective alternative in the treatment of aortoiliac obstructions. However, overall primary and assisted primary patency rates are inferior to those reported for surgery. Long-term patency comparable to surgery may be obtained in patients >50 years and in those without an iliac occlusion, particularly if a favorable stent configuration is achieved.