So your estimate would be higher than 2% for occlusions. I don't like the idea of a good enough procedure if a more perfected procedure is possible.
Here for example is Dr. Sclafani's SIR abstract reporting a reduction of vein injury when IVUS is used in CCSVI angioplasty:http://www.ccsvicare.org/outreach_update03.html
Let's see...Dr. Mehta is reporting 8% restenosis in his patients at 4 months in the trial. One theory is that Dr. Mehta is very good at what he does, another is that he is not counting all restenoses as restenoses, another is that the restenoses would show up at some later time than 4 months. Dr. Zamboni reported 50% restenosis at 18 months in his 2008 research.
Did you catch a talk from Dr. Zamboni on plethysmography at ISET? That might end up being a method to determine restenosis both in research and clinically. Intra- and inter-operator reliability and reproducibility would be very good things.
We don't have a validated method to determine restenosis, we don't have agreement on what constitutes a jugular or azygous stenosis...it is 2012, I have been following CCSVI since 2009, and it would seem we are still at the beginning of things.
But it is good to see you here again! I had thought the mood at ISET on IVUS was better than what you describe. It is disappointing to hear otherwise.