Follow-Up and Surveillance After Peripheral Interventions

Surveillance after endovascular peripheral interventions is integral to quality patient care. The combination of regular clinical assessment along with ankle/brachial index (ABI) measurements and Duplex US can reliably detect and characterize any complications as well as the severity of potential recurrent stenosis. This allows for early and safe reintervention before any progression to vessel occlusion, thereby extending angioplasty or stent site patency and preventing significant limb events, such as acute limb ischemia and amputation. Nevertheless, the guidelines clearly show that there is a need for better clinical evidence on follow-up to determine the modes of endovascular intervention failure, the optimal intensity, most appropriate modalities, and the impact of surveillance on patient outcomes, as well as the indications for reintervention.