Comparative Long-Term Outcomes of Drug-Coated Balloons Alone Versus Combined Treatment with Rotational Atherectomy in the Treatment of Femoropopliteal Artery In-Stent Restenosis

RA combined with DEB offers advantages over DEB alone in femoropopliteal ISR, reducing reinterventions, enhancing assisted primary patency, and lowering thrombosis rates without increasing MALE.Clinical ImpactThis study addresses the current lack of long-term evidence on the treatment of femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis (ISR) using drug-coated balloons (DEB) alone versus DEB combined with rotational atherectomy (RA). Clinically, RA+DEB significantly reduces reinterventions and thrombosis, and improves assisted primary patency without increasing complications. For clinicians, this supports a more effective and durable option for complex ISR, particularly in occlusive or long lesions. The innovation lies in demonstrating the added value of vessel preparation with RA, offering a lesion-specific strategy in the absence of clear guideline recommendations.