Current insights into drug-coated balloons for peripheral arterial disease.
Antonio Micari, Antonino Micari, Vittorio Virga, Francesco Costa, Gianluca Di Bella, Giuseppe Roscitano, Antonio Versace, Giuseppe Vadalà, Giampiero Vizzari
Author Information
Antonio Micari: Cardiology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Antonino Micari: Cardiology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Vittorio Virga: Cardiology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Francesco Costa: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery Department, Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, Málaga, Spain.
Gianluca Di Bella: Cardiology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Giuseppe Roscitano: Department of General Surgery and Medical Specialties, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
Antonio Versace: Cardiology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Giuseppe Vadalà: Division of Cardiology, University Hospital Policlinico P. Giaccone, Palermo, Italy.
Giampiero Vizzari: Cardiology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
INTRODUCTION: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis. It is often associated with coronary and/or cerebral vascular involvement, leading to a higher risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, among which myocardial infarction, stroke, and death. Cardiovascular prevention has proven effective in reducing the progression of the disease and early diagnosis leads to more rapid initiation of medical therapy. However, revascularization of the diseased segment represents the only solution in the manifest and symptomatic forms of the disease. AREAS COVERED: Surgical treatment has historically represented the first treatment of PAD, which consists in the creation of bypasses excluding the obstructed segment. Nowadays, endovascular treatment represents in many cases the first line of intervention. Drug-coated balloons are a cornerstone solution for the treatment of peripheral lesions and are supported by multiple trials demonstrating their efficacy and safety. EXPERT OPINION: New devices, such as sirolimus-eluting balloons, and also new eluting technologies will further improve the efficacy and the results of peripheral angioplasty. In the next years, we will experience the routinary use of new techniques currently under study. In this review, we will discuss the role of drug-coated balloons in the treatment of PAD.
