Stopped: The study was terminated as we plan to start a competing study sponsored through VA CSP.
The superficial femoral artery (SFA) is frequently involved in atherosclerosis and is the most common target of lower extremity endovascular procedures performed in patients with claudication. Endovascular treatment of SFA is challenging, given its exceptional predisposition to atherosclerosis and its exposure to extreme mechanical forces of extension, compression, torsion and flexion. The SFA is located in a fibro-muscular canal, follows a tortuous course and is considered a 'hostile' location for endovascular procedures, especially stents due to the risk of stent fracture. On the other hand, durability of balloon angioplasty in the SFA is dismal (25% patency at 1 year). Therefore, Nitinol (a metal alloy of nickel and titanium) stent implantation is the mainstay of endovascular SFA interventions when balloon angioplasty (PTA) leads to sub-optimal results during a procedure. It is used in over 70% of all cases and in nearly 100% of all femoro-popliteal (FP) CTO (chronic total occlusions) and long (≥60 mm) interventions. Endovascular treatment of SFA is challenging and restenosis is the most common cause for the lack of durability of a SFA peripheral vascular interventional procedure.5 Restenosis rates of SFA bare metal (nitinol) stents or BMS at 1 year exceeds 50% for lesions ≥60 mm in length or CTO. Stent based treatment of the SFA may not offer any additional advantage for short non-CTO (\<60 mm) lesions compared to PTA. In a recent study, primarily comparing drug-eluting stents (DES) to balloon angioplasty in the SFA, 12 month patency rates were 83.1% and 32.8%, respectively for DES and balloon angioplasty arms. However, there are no head-to head studies randomized studies comparing DES and BMS in the SFA. Thus, endovascular SFA intervention in patients with symptomatic PAD is an area of urgent need for high-quality evidence as volume of these procedures continues to rise exponentially in the U.S. and around the world, largely on the basis of insufficient evidence.Thus, the purpose of this study is to conduct a randomized pilot trial comparing DES and BMS for percutaneous revascularization of SFA.
Age range
18 Years – 90 Years
Sex
ALL
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The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
SFA stent patency
Timeframe: 12 months - The study was closed due to lower than anticipated eligible participants.