How will the FORWARD trial assess which balloon-expandable stents best benefit patients with aortoiliac occlusive disease?

Prof Andrew Holden (Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, NZ) joins us to discuss an update on the randomised, controlled FORWARD study comparing the GORE VBX balloon-expandable covered stent to non-covered balloon-expandable stents in patients with complex aortoiliac occlusive disease. The primary patency endpoint will be assessed at one-year by duplex ultrasound, and 88 patients to-date have been recruited.

Interview Questions:
1. What is the reasoning behind this study?
2. What was the patient population and study design?
3. What were the key updates on the patient demographics?
4. Could you tell us any additional benefits of the GORE VBX stent, and what further research is required?

Recorded remotely from Auckland, 2025.

Editors: Yazmin Sadik, Jordan Rance
Videographers: David Ben-Harosh and Oliver Miles

Support: This is an independent interview produced by Radcliffe Vascular.