Takayasu's arteritis: vascular interventions and outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To provide an analysis of outcomes of vascular interventions in 20 patients with Takayasu's arteritis (TA) who received care at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation between 1979 and 2001.

METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review. The primary outcome measure of our review was patency of vessels as assessed by repeat invasive angiography or magnetic resonance angiography. The secondary outcome measures included periprocedural complications, morbidity, and mortality. Interventions included bypass grafts, patch angioplasty, endarterectomy, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA), or stent placement.

RESULTS: Sixty-two revascularization procedures were performed in 20 patients. Followup evaluations were available for 52 procedures. Eleven of 31 bypass grafts restenosed or occluded between one day to 168 months after surgery. Three of 7 PTA and 5 of 7 stents restenosed or became occluded after 1-72 months and 2-45 months of followup, respectively. There were no deaths associated with revascularization procedures.

CONCLUSION: Despite providing short term benefit, endovascular revascularization procedures are associated with a high failure rate in patients with TA.