Increasing role of interventional cardiologists for peripheral vascular disease

Improvements in the design of endovascular devices and technical skills of interventionalists have opened new possibilities for patients with a wide range of peripheral vascular diseases. In lower extremity peripheral artery disease, percutaneous treatments have become the predominant revascularization strategy for simple and complex lesions. Newer generations of stents and drug-coated balloons have demonstrated strong potential in the treatment of femoropopliteal and infrainguinal diseases. One of the most dramatic advances in the recent past has been endovascular repair of thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms, which has become the preferred approach in lieu of open surgical repair. Contemporary trials have established the safety and effectiveness of carotid stenting in selected patients with severe stenosis. Endovascular treatments for venous occlusive disease have long been underutilized, but their effectiveness is being increasingly recognized. This review covers new endovascular procedures performed by interventional cardiologists for peripheral vascular diseases.