Comparison of Sirolimus vs Paclitaxel Drug Eluting Balloon for Below-the-knee Angioplasty in Critical Limb Ischemia

Comparison of Sirolimus vs Paclitaxel Drug Eluting Balloon for Below-the-knee Angioplasty in Critical Limb Ischemia

The objective of this study is to compare the remote patency of paclitaxel versus sirolimus eluting balloons in patients with CLI undergoing tibial artery revascularization. Patients will be randomized 1:1 to Paclitaxel eluting balloon (Litos, ACOTEC ltd) or sirolimus eluting balloon (Magic touch, Concept Medical) after optimal balloon angioplasty. The primary endpoint of the study is the late luminal loss at 6 months angiography. Secondary endpoint are major amputation, clinically driven target lesion revascularization and vessel reocclusion (duplex) at 12 months.

Critical ischemia of the limb is considered one of the most severe clinical scenario of atherosclerotic disease involving the lower limb because it is associated with a high degree of mortality and morbidity. Below the knee arterial disease is the basis of critical limb ischemia (CLI). It is generally characterized by the involvement of multiple tibial arteries, long lesions and high rate of hronic total occlusions. Percutaneous treatment of tibial arteriopathy is characterized by high restenosis (70%). The advent of the drug-eluting strategy has led to a reduction in the restenosis of the femoral and tibial district with paclitaxel eluting devices. Data are not yet available on sirolimus eluting devices, both for the femoropopliteal and tibial districts. The objective of this study is to compare the remote patency of paclitaxel (Lithos) vs. the sirolimus (magic touch) eluting balloons in patients with CLI undergoing tibial artery revascularization.

The study will enroll only patients with optimal balloon angioplasty defined by angiographic and ultrasound criteria in order to avoid biases related to potentially unbalanced suboptimal angioplasty results in both groups. The patients will be followed by either interventionalists as well as diabetic foot specialists in order to optimize their surveillance for lesion healings and vessel patency and reduced dropout.

Participating

Centers Cardiovascular disease department (San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy) O.U. Cardiology (San Iacopo Hospital, Pistoia, Italy) O.U. Cardiology (San Giuseppe Hospital, Empoli, Italy) O.U Hemodynamics (A.O.U.C. Careggi, FlorenCe, Italy)

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age between 18 and 85 years
2. CLI Rutherford class 4-6.
3. Stenosis or occlusion with length >= 4 cm involving a tibial artery
4. Presence of angiographic distal runoff to the foot (stage 1-2a-2b of the Kawarada classification)
5. Presence of optimal angioplasty result defined as residual stenosis < 50%, absence of flow limiting dissection, absence of vessel perforation, absence of distal embolization by angiography and biphasic or triphasic flow at ultrasoud evaluation of the target vessel

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Known allergy to one of the drugs in the study
2. Contraindications to antiplatelet therapy
3. Life expectancy less than 1 year
4. Major amputation planned before angiography
5. Inability to obtain informed consent -