Efficacy of a novel method: VaSodilator injection via the over-the-wire lumen during drug-coated balloon dilatation to prevent the slow-flow phenomenon in treatment of femoropopliteal lesions.

In drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty for femoropopliteal lesions, there are adverse effects of drug embolization on downstream non-target organs following the slow-flow phenomenon. We devised a novel method, known as VaSodilator injection via the over-the-wire lumen during DCB dilatation to prevent the slow-flow phenomenon in treatment of femoropopliteal lesions (V.S.O.P.), and evaluated its efficacy and safety. This single-center, retrospective, observational study analyzed 196 femoropopliteal lesions treated with IN.PACT Admiral between April 2018 and July 2023. The IN.PACT Admiral is a DCB consisting of a 0.035-inch over-the-wire (OTW) lumen balloon coated with high-dose paclitaxel. Regarding the V.S.O.P. method, we injected vasodilators through the OTW lumen during DCB dilation of the lesions. The cohort was classified into two groups according to the use of the V.S.O.P. method (V.S.O.P. group: n = 53; non-V.S.O.P. group: n = 143). The V.S.O.P. group had lower rates of hemodialysis (21% vs. 43%, p = 0.01) and higher rates of critical limb-threatening ischemia (56% vs. 23%, p < 0.01) and severe calcification lesions (Peripheral Arterial Calcium Scoring Systems score 3/4) (53% vs. 34%, p = 0.01) than the non-V.S.O.P. group. The occurrence of the slow-flow phenomenon was significantly lower in the V.S.O.P. group than in the non-V.S.O.P. group. The V.S.O.P. method could be an effective method for preventing the slow-flow phenomenon after DCB angioplasty for femoropopliteal lesions.