Efficacy of Viabahn® in the Treatment of Severe Superficial Femoral Artery Lesions: Which Factors Influence Long-term Patency?

Purpose: To evaluate superficial femoral artery (SFA) occlusive disease treatment by means of covered stents. Study design: retrospective. Method: From 2000 to 2005, a Hemobahn/Viabahn^® endoprosthesis was implanted in 102 limbs (95 patients; mean age: 72.1 years, 52–94) for intermittent claudication (group I, n =50 limbs), critical (group II, n =32) or acute ischemia (group III, n =20). Lesions treated were Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus (TASC) A (n =9) B (n =42), C (n =28) or D (n =23), associated with a good (2 or 3 leg arteries, n =60) or a poor (1 or 0 artery, n =42) runoff. Results: The endograft was placed successfully in all cases, but 3 early deaths (3.2%) (1 in group II and 2 in group III), and 4 acute thromboses (4%) occurred. Primary and secondary actuarial patency rates were 97±1.7%, and 99±1% at 1 month, 74±4.8% & 84±4.1% at 1 year,and 71±9.5% & 79±8.5% at 3 years, after a mean follow-up of 30.2 months (1–60). Long-term primary and secondary patencies were significantly different between TASC Cand TASC D lesions (P < .004 & .001). Conclusion: Severity of lesions, rather than preoperative symptoms or runoff, is mainly to be considered before using Hemobahn/Viabahn ^® endoprosthesis in severe SFA occlusive lesions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]