Drug-Coated Balloons: Current Outcomes and Future Directions

Abstract

Paclitaxel-coated drug-coated balloons have significantly improved short-term and mid-term clinical outcomes in patients with symptomatic femoropopliteal peripheral artery disease. However, long-term results are awaited. Furthermore, the clinical success of drug-coated balloons in the infrapopliteal peripheral arteries has been more modest and overall similar to traditional balloon angioplasty, and remains an area of unmet clinical need. This article provides an overview of the clinical evidence for paclitaxel-coated balloons in the femoropopliteal and infrapopliteal peripheral artery distributions and future directions in this area.

Keywords: Drug-coated balloons; Endovascular intervention; Femoropopliteal peripheral artery; Infrapopliteal peripheral artery; Paclitaxel.