Background: The aim of this study was to report an initial experience with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) in de novo stenotic lesions of the common femoral artery (CFA).
Methods: A retrospective analysis for 34 consecutive patients was conducted. The follow-up consisted of clinical evaluation and color duplex ultrasound scan (CDU) 1, 6, and 12 months after the procedure.
Results: The symptoms were claudication in 16 patients (47%), critical limb ischemia in 17 (50%), and preservation of an infrainguinal bypass in 1 (3%). PTA was performed in CFA alone in 45.7%, associated to iliac and/or profunda/superficial femoral artery PTA in 54.3%. Stenting was performed in 23 patients (65.7%). All procedures were successful. Two patients required surgery for a local complication. Median hospital stay was 2 days. Mean follow-up was 11 months (range 1-56). Primary and secondary sustained clinical improvement rates were 77% and 85%, and primary, CDU-controlled patency rate was 88%. Four reinterventions were required for symptomatic CFA restenosis. At the end of follow-up, no major amputation had been performed, all patients with claudication remained improved with no restenosis, and the secondary sustained improvement rate was 85%.
Conclusions: PTA for primary CFA lesions is feasible and safe, with acceptable short-term results in claudicants. In patients with tissue loss, frequent reinterventions raise questions about PTA benefit. This approach needs to be compared with open surgery in a randomized trial.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.