Following Alemtuzumab induction and in conjunction with low-dose tacrolimus and mycophenolate, continuous steroid therapy was not required to prevent progressive injury or preservation of graft function in patients without biopsy-proven acute rejection. Scored surveillance renal biopsies provide a useful tool to monitor transplanted kidneys.
intraoperative findings, and follow-up duration. The outcomes studied were limb salvage and primary stent patency. Continuous data were analyzed with a t test, and categoric data were analyzed with a 2 test. Results: We identified 40 patients in the proximal stent group and 56 in the distal stent group. Follow-up imaging data were available for 82 patients. The two groups did not differ in demographics, mean number of patent runoff vessels (proximal, 2.0 vessels; distal, 1.8 vessels; P ϭ .18), or mean duration of follow-up (proximal, 259 days; distal, 257 days; P ϭ .98). Claudication was more often an indication for popliteal stent placement in the proximal group (42% vs 16%; P ϭ .004). Limbthreatening ischemia was more frequently an indication for stent placement in the distal group (75% vs 55%; P ϭ .04). Limb salvage was achieved in 92.5% of proximal and in 85.7% of distal stent placements (P ϭ .30). Limb salvage did not differ between the groups when only patients with limb-threatening ischemia were included in the analysis (proximal, 86%; distal, 83%; P ϭ .75). Primary patency at 3 months was 57% in the proximal group vs 49% in the distal group (P ϭ .46). Conclusions: Popliteal artery stenting is associated with a high rate of limb salvage at a mean follow-up of 8 months and is an acceptable option for patients with incapacitating claudication and limb-threatening ischemia who are poor candidates for alternative interventions. Popliteal stents placed across the knee joint did not affect limb salvage or patency compared with stents placed above the knee joint.
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