Drug-eluting stents above the knee

There are only very few trials concerning use of drug-eluting stents (DES) in the femoropopliteal segment. While earlier trials using a sirolimus-eluting polymer-coated stent and an everolimus-eluting stent failed to demonstrate improved mid-term patency compared with a bare-metal stent, the recently presented - however still unpublished - data with the Zilver PTX stent using a polymer-free paclitaxel coating are very promising. Before we can make definite conclusions and recommendations, we have to see longer-term follow-up data. A potential future improvement of local drug application for the necessary time span without the disadvantages of permanent stent implantation can be expected by the development of completely bioabsorbable DES.