Optimal therapeutic approaches to femoropopliteal artery intervention

Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2004 Sep;63(1):21-30. doi: 10.1002/ccd.20063.

Abstract

Superficial femoral artery disease presents a complex challenge for therapy. The extent of vascular involvement may vary from focal disease with symptoms of intermittent claudication to long total occlusions manifest as critical limb ischemia. Optimal therapy requires understanding the available options including exercise programs, pharmacologic medical therapy, surgery and interventional endovascular therapy. Rapidly advancing endovascular technology for enabling safe intervention in complex, long occlusive segments of the superficial femoral artery continues to emerge. New devices like the SafeCross wire, Excimer laser, Silverhawk Atherectomy catheter, Cryoplasty catheter and new generations of bare metal and drug-eluting nitinol stents are shifting the paradigm for therapy from surgical to more endovascular treatment even for the most complex disease presentation.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Arterial Occlusive Diseases / drug therapy
  • Arterial Occlusive Diseases / radiotherapy
  • Arterial Occlusive Diseases / surgery
  • Arterial Occlusive Diseases / therapy*
  • Exercise Therapy
  • Femoral Artery* / pathology
  • Femoral Artery* / surgery
  • Fibrinolytic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Ischemia / therapy
  • Lower Extremity / blood supply*
  • Lower Extremity / surgery
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Popliteal Artery* / pathology
  • Popliteal Artery* / surgery
  • Radiotherapy, Computer-Assisted
  • Stents
  • Vascular Surgical Procedures

Substances

  • Fibrinolytic Agents
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors