Drug eluting balloons (DEBs) are semi-compliant angioplasty balloons covered with an antiproliferative drug which is rapidly released locally into the vessel wall during balloon contact. Their advantages include a broader area of drug contact, more homogenous drug-tissue transfer for stent-based local drug delivery, no implant leaving as well as shortened dual antiplatelet therapy. DEBs application was first recommended by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) guidelines for the treatment of in-stent restenosis (ISR) after prior bare-metal stent (BMS) (Class IIA, Level B) in 2010. Since then, rapid progress has been made in the use of DEBs for treatment of in-stent restenosis, bifurcation, small vessel diseases, and other de novo occlusive coronary artery diseases even the symptomatic peripheral arterial disease. However, a meta-analysis of 28 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 4663 patients investigating paclitaxel-coated devices (DEBs & drug-eluting stent) in the femoral and/or popliteal arteries showed a highly significant association between risk of death and paclitaxel exposure in a dose-time-dependent manner. Safety issues associated with clinical application of paclitaxel DEBs in femoropopliteal artery was widely discussed. This study reviewed the issues, different molecular mechanisms of paclitaxel and sirolimus in antiproliferative effects, and progress of sirolimus-eluting balloons.

Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) play a great role in infusion of chemotherapy, parenteral nutrition, and intravenous fluid. It has the advantages of safety, convenience, long duration and low infection rate compared to central venous catheters (CVCs), becoming more and more popularized in clinical application. However, the clinical application of PICCs also causes complications, such as local infection, phlebitis, deep venous thrombosis, catheter malposition and breakage as well as liquid extravasation. The total complications rate varies mainly for three aspects: patients-related, catheter-related and operation-related. Disease types and severity of patients have been deeply researched. More concerns have been paid on the technology of catheter and operation to decrease the related complications. The intracavitary electrocardiogram (IC-ECG) method has been developed to be a safe, accurate and highly cost effective method. However, the traditional IC-ECG method is complicated and time consuming. Many researches have carried out to overcome the shortcomings of traditional methods. The tip-conductive PICC method came into being. The application of tip-conductive PICC greatly increases the first-attempt successful tip location and the tip location satisfactory. In this article, we reviewed the principle and characteristics of tip-conductive PICC, and comprehensive nursing care intervention including puncture, infection prevention, mechanical phlebitis, catheter blockage and catheter heterotopia and rupture.