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Introduction: The aim of this study is to describe our experience in the treatment of femoropopliteal occlusive disease with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) followed by stenting with S.M.A.R.T. Flex vascular stent system. Materials and Methods: From June 2014 to October 2018, 80 patients were treated at our Institution for intermittent claudication, critical, or acute limb ischemia due to total occlusion or long diffused lesions of the femoropopliteal segment. Main study end points are primary patency, target lesion revascularization, and stent fractures; secondary end points are major amputation rate, procedure-related bleeding, incidence of intrastent restenosis, and primary assisted patency after reintervention. Results: Mean follow-up time was 21 months (range 2-48 months). Primary patency rate was 80% (64 patients of 80), with mean covered lesion length of 8.2 cm. The deployment of a single stent was obtained for 57 (89%) patients, with a mean stent length of 9.86 cm. Of 80 patients, 2 (2.5%) had early stent occlusion within first 48 hours after the procedure, while 4 (5%) of 80 patients experienced stent occlusion within first 6 months. Of 80 patients, 6 (7.5%) had an intrastent restenosis detected at duplex ultrasound with a primary-assisted patency after simple re-PTA procedures of 83.3% at 12 months. Discussion: In the literature, primary patency after PTA and stenting of the femoropopliteal trunk seems to be related to several variables, such as number of stents used, specific stent length, diameters, type and length of lesions, type of pathology (if acute or chronic), and number of preoperatory patent below-the-knee vessels. In this study, we try to analyze each single factor in order to understand their role in predisposing specific stent restenosis. Conclusions: S.M.A.R.T. Flex vascular stent system has shown good results in terms of primary patency in the treatment of calcified lesions both at SFA and at popliteal level. However, in our experience, stent patency seems to be significantly poorer in patients presenting with acute limb ischemia associated with chronic atherosclerotic disease as well as for lesions located in the mid-distal part of the popliteal artery and both when number of stents increases or number of runoff vessel decreases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of carotid artery stenting (CAS) performed without an embolic protection device (EPD) in a selected group of asymptomatic patients with primary internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis or restenosis after carotid endarterectomy (CEA).Materials and Methods: Between May 2015 and May 2018, 77 patients (mean age 77 years; 60 men) underwent CAS without any embolic protection device. Forty-seven (61%) patients had primary ICA stenosis and were excluded from CEA because of high surgical risk; the other 30 (39%) patients had post-CEA restenosis (n=26) or a distal ICA flap after eversion CEA (n=4). The mean ICA stenosis was 82%. All procedures were performed from a femoral artery access. Pre- and/or postdilation were used in 64 patients. The primary outcome was the incidence of major complications (death, stroke, or myocardial infarction) during the procedure and within 30 days; the secondary outcome was the incidence of restenosis in follow-up.Results: No relevant bradycardia was encountered during CAS. The combined rate of stroke, death, or myocardial infarction at 30 days was 1.3%. The single stroke patient recovered fully after 2 months. Over a follow-up that ranged to 3 years (mean 24±18 months), no further neurological events were recorded. One (1.3%) patient had a >70% restenosis after 6 months; the lesion was dilated, successfully restoring the lumen contour.Conclusion: In our series, endovascular treatment of carotid stenosis without the use of protection devices in patients with primary stenosis or postsurgical restenosis can achieve satisfactory safety and efficacy outcomes. The choice of performing CAS without using EPDs should follow a tailored approach based on the appropriate patient anatomy and specific clinical parameters to minimize neurological complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) represents a severe complication of chronic mesenteric ischemia (CMI) which is a disorder caused by severe stenosis or occlusion of mesenteric arterial supply. If untreated, patients could face mesenteric infarction and death., Case Report: A 41-year-old female smoker and drug abuser, previously treated with angioplasty and stenting of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) for CMI four years before, was admitted to our institution suffering from acute abdominal pain due to complete occlusion of the stent. After a few hours of thrombolytic therapy, she experienced sudden worsening of clinical conditions, including AMI, due to complete rethrombosis of the SMA. Thereafter, she underwent urgent thrombectomy and a subsequent retrograde 6 mm prosthetic aorto-mesenteric bypass graft. The patient reported complete relief of symptoms afterwards. A CT scan at 1-month follow-up showed primary patency of the bypass in the absence of clinical recurrence., Discussion: In cases of CMI, treatment options include surgical, endovascular or hybrid approaches. Endovascular therapy, based on percutaneous angioplasty with or without stenting, seems to be effective, although it can have worse midterm and long-term results., Conclusion: In patients already treated with an endovascular revascularization of the SMA or celiac trunk (CT), open surgical repair through a single retrograde aorto-mesenteric prosthetic bypass in cases of acute mesenteric ischemia, seems to offer a valid and safe approach in order to prevent bowel infarction., Key Words: Acute mesenteric ischemia Angioplasty, Bypass, stent,Thrombolysis.

Introduction: True aneurysmal degeneration of autogenous vein grafts is unusual, despite their widespread use as arterial substitutes. We report a case of acute lower leg ischemia due to thrombosis of a non-anastomotic venous aneurysm., Case Report: A 71-year old man presented at Emergency Unit at our Institution with left lower limb acute ischemia. The patient had 9 years before undergone left below the knee femoro-popliteal bypass with in situ autologous great saphenous vein (GSV) graft. Doppler ultrasound exam revealed patency of the entire conduit, and subtotal acute thrombosis of a saccular aneurysm of the vein 2 cm before the distal anastomosis of the graft. Aneurysmectomy and distal thrombo- embolectomy with Fogarty catheter of below the knee popliteal artery and tibio-peroneal trunk was performed. Vein graft continuity was restored by a termino-terminal anastomosis., Discussion: Arterialized autologous veins are at risk of degenerative changes because of histological differences with arteries, but the cause of true aneurysmal degeneration of these grafts is still unknown. The mean time from graft implantation to clinical manifestation of the aneurysm is 7 years and the management of venous graft aneurysms should be subjected to the same criteria as other aneurysms. The first choice in detecting vein graft aneurysms is Duplex ultrasonography and the type of surgical intervention depends on the cause, type and extension of aneurysmal dilatation., Conclusions: Aneurysmal degeneration of deep lower extremity vein conduits implanted for vascular reconstruction has been rarely reported, but when detected they can lead to graft thrombosis, distal embolization, acute rupture, or skin ulceration. Therefore, Doppler ultrasound guided surveillance of GSV grafts should be mandatory and long time from vein graft creation to onset of aneurysms makes long-term graft surveillance even more imperative., Key Words: Acute Leg Ischemia, Great Saphenous Vein, Graft; Aneurysm, Thrombosis.