Angioplasty or stent placement in the proximal common iliac artery: Is protection of the contralateral side necessary?

PURPOSE: To determine if protection of the contralateral common iliac artery is necessary when performing angioplasty or stent placement in a proximal common iliac artery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of all patients undergoing endovascular treatment for unilateral common iliac artery stenosis or occlusion from 1979 to 2000 was performed. All angiograms were reviewed independently by three experienced vascular interventional radiologists who evaluated both common iliac arteries before and after angioplasty or stent placement. RESULTS: The medical records or angiograms of 514 patients were located. Of these, complete records and angiograms were found for 175 patients who underwent proximal (within 2 cm of its origin) common iliac artery angioplasty or stent placement without treatment or protection of the contralateral common iliac artery. Treatment of proximal common iliac stenosis in 160 patients resulted in luminal compromise of the contralateral common iliac in two patients (17% and 24% reduction in luminal diameter). No contralateral compromise was noted in 15 patients treated for iliac occlusion. CONCLUSION: The data reported herein suggest that protection of the contralateral common iliac artery during angioplasty or stent placement in a proximal common iliac artery is not mandatory.