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| |  RSNA: Percutaneous Interventions for Peripheral Arterial Disease Said as Effective as Surgery, But Much Less Costly By Peggy Peck Special to DG News CHICAGO, IL -- November 27, 2001 -- Percutaneous interventions appear to be as effective as traditional surgery for the treatment of peripheral arterial disease, but cost only half as much. Dr. Michael A. Bettmann, radiologist and director of clinical research at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center/Dartmouth Medical School, in Lebanon, New Hampshire, said that the “take home message here is that angioplasty and stenting offers a safe alternative to surgery, with less morbidity, and at a considerable savings.” The findings were reported yesterday (Nov. 26) at the 87th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Bettmann and his colleague Dr. Bertrand Janne d’Othee studied 97 consecutive patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) who were treated at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Of these patients, 64 were treated with radiographically guided PCI, while the other patients were treated surgically, Dr. d’Othee said. Patients were followed for more than two years. Clinical outcomes were assessed using changes in ankle-brachial pressure index, and a walking impairment questionnaire, as well as arterio-graphic score on angiography. "There was no difference in terms of severity of disease or other clinical variables," Dr. d’Othee told Doctors’ Guide. However, when asked about variables such as age or gender, he said he did not include those data in his analysis. After a median of two years’ follow-up, there was no difference between the two treatment groups in any clinical or quality of life measures, Dr. d’Othee said. The average cost of PCI was $6,502 compared to an average cost of $12,422 for patients treated surgically. "This is highly significant," Dr. Bettmann said. Moreover, Dr. Bettmann said the PCI cost was lower than with surgery regardless of procedure-stenting or balloon angioplasty. Likewise, the use of thrombolysis had no impact on cost, Dr. d’Othee said. Dr. Bettmann concluded that the findings suggest that PCI should be offered as a treatment option for patients presenting with PAD.
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