Preliminary results with endoluminal femoropopliteal thrupass

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Results of endovascular procedures to the superficial femoral artery and popliteal artery are not as good as at the iliac level. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the long-term results of a new endoluminal stent-graft for the management of lesions of the femoropopliteal segment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifteen patients underwent endoluminal treatment of femoropopliteal lesions with a PTFE covered stent-graft. Nine patients had critical leg ischaemia, two patients had acute leg ischaemia, two patients were claudicants, one patient had a ruptured popliteal artery aneurysm, and one had a large adjuvant therapeutic arteriovenous fistula. RESULTS: The procedure was successfully carried out in all patients. Thrombosis occurred in two stent-grafts 4.5 months and 12.5 months after the procedure. One of them was successfully thrombolysed. During the two-year follow-up, a haemodynamically significant decrease in ankle/brachial index was observed in two patients. Ankle/brachial index was the same or higher than the immediately postoperative value in six patients. Primary patency rates at 1 month, 1 year and 2 year follow-up were 100%, 93% and 84%, respectively. Assisted primary patency rates at the same intervals were 100%, 93% and 93%, respectively. No patient had limb loss during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Endoluminal femoropopliteal bypass using PTFE covered stent-graft can be successfully performed with good two-year results.