Rigorous focus on paclitaxel-related mortality in femoropopliteal artery disease

Paclitaxel-coated balloons and stents have emerged as the most promising strategy for the inhibition of neointimal hyperplasia after endovascular treatment of the femoropopliteal artery. However, a few months ago, cause for concern was raised in a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials investigating paclitaxel-coated balloon angioplasty or paclitaxel-coated metal stents in the femoral and popliteal arteries. This editorial reviews the data available to date relative to the potential increased risk of mortality after the use of drug-eluting technologies in the femoropopliteal segment.