Early outcome of “cutting” balloon angioplasty for infrainguinal vein graft stenosis

AbstractBackgroundRecurrent stenotic lesions associated with vein graft bypass grafts are often fibrous and smooth. Unlike de novo atherosclerotic lesions, they respond poorly to balloon angioplasty, and may often result in a dissection requiring stent placement to avoid early recurrent thrombosis or open repair of residual stenosis. A novel balloon designed with three or four longitudinally placed 0.127-mm atherotomes was used at angioplasty to treat focal peripheral vein graft stenosis, in an attempt to minimize dissection by producing a controlled plaque fracture.MethodsOver 11 months, patients with focal (