Treatment of nonmalignant obstructive iliocaval lesions by stent placement: mid-term results

This report describes mid-term results of endovascular treatment of obstructive iliocaval lesions. Between November 1995 and December 1999, a total of 15 patients were treated by angioplasty and stent placement in the iliac vein. These patients were divided into two groups. Group I consisted of six patients with acute iliofemoral thrombosis of less than 10 days duration, with associated caval involvement in three cases. Angioplasty was performed after surgical thrombectomy, and creation of an arteriovenous fistula as a one-stage procedure in four cases and as a two-stage procedure in two cases. The underlying chronic lesion was stenosis of the left iliocaval junction (Cockett syndrome) in five cases and retroperitoneal fibrosis in one. Group II comprised nine patients with chronic symptomatic stenosis or occlusion. The etiology was Cockett syndrome in seven cases, post-thrombotic syndrome in three cases, including two associated with Cockett syndrome, and retroperitoneal fibrosis in one case. The mean number of stents per patient was 1.5. The mean duration of follow-up was 23.5 months. Evaluation of clinical outcome according to CEAP criteria for chronic syndromes showed significant improvement. Given good mid-term findings, venous angioplasty with stent placement appears to be a safe and effective technique for treatment of acute or chronic obstructive iliocaval lesions.