Role of drug-eluting balloon in infragenicular angioplasty

Introduction: Below knee arterial occlusive disease occurs more commonly in diabetic patients and leads to critical limb ischemia (CLI). Infragenicular angioplasty is considered as one of the most attractive lines of treatment in cases of below knee arterial occlusive disease with CLI. This study was designed to evaluate the short-term results of the use of drug-eluting balloons (DEBs) in infragenicular angioplasty procedure for treating CLI. Patients and methods: This study was conducted on 35 patients from the attendees to the vascular surgery outpatient clinic, Zagazig University, during the period from December 2014 to February 2016. Results: There was a significant difference in the percentage of binary stenosis in favor of the DEB group, leading to less clinically driven target lesion revascularization. Conclusion: DEB angioplasty has shown less binary stenosis and less need for clinically driven target lesion revascularization in comparison with standard angioplasty in infragenicular arterial disease.