Efficacy of Hemobahn in the treatment of superficial femoral artery lesions in patients with acute or critical ischemia: a comparative study with claudicants.

Purpose: To assess the results of covered stents in the treatment of superficial femoral artery (SFA) occlusive disease.

Method: From July 2000 till June 2003, 32 patients (34 limbs) were scheduled for procedures including Hemobahn deployment in the SFA. Indication for treatment was claudication (group I, N=15 patients and 16 limbs, 31.2% occlusions) or critical and acute ischemia (group II, N=17 patients and 18 limbs, 61.1% occlusions). TASC D SFA lesions were excluded. No limb artery was patent pre-operatively in 19% and 89% of limbs in groups I and II, respectively (p=0.00001).

Results: Outflow procedures were performed simultaneously in one limb in group I and 12 in group II (p=0.0003). The technical, hemodynamic and clinical success rates were 100, 100 and 94.1%, respectively. Mean follow-up was 18.1 months. Primary patency rates at 12 months were 81.3+/-10.6% in group I and 88.6+/-9.0% in group II (p=0.547). At 12 months, the secondary patency and limb salvage rates were, respectively, 87.5+/-8.9 and 100% in group I and 87.5+/-8.93 and 94.45+/-6.71% in group II.

Conclusion: Treatment of SFA occlusive lesions (excluding TASC D lesions) with the Hemobahn covered stent yielded good results for both claudicants with good outflow and patients with critical or acute ischemia with bad outflow, if concomitant outflow-improving procedures were performed.