Percutaneous common femoral artery interventions using angioplasty, atherectomy, and stenting

This study evaluated the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of endovascular interventions for common femoral artery (CFA) occlusive disease.

Using a prospectively maintained multicenter database, we analyzed outcomes in 167 consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous CFA interventions for Rutherford class 3 to class 6 (R3-R6) disease. The standardized treatment approach included primary percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) only, atherectomy + PTA, and provisional stenting. Outcomes included technical failure rate, recurrence, complications, and major or minor amputation rate. Data were analyzed using multivariate regression analysis.

During a 7-year period, 167 patients with R3 (n = 91 [54.5%]) and R4 to R6 (n = 76 [45.5%]) disease underwent CFA interventions that included PTA only (n = 114 [68.2%]), atherectomy ± PTA (n = 38 [22.8%]), and provisional stenting (n = 15 [9.0%]) for failed atherectomy ± PTA. Procedure-related complications included pseudoaneurysm (n = 1 [0.6%]), thrombosis (n = 1 [0.6%]), distal embolization (n = 1 [0.6%]), and death (R6, n = 1 [0.06%]). CFA restenosis was observed in 34 (20.4%) patents; these underwent further percutaneous (n = 18 [10.8%]) or surgical (n = 17 [10.2%]) revascularization that included CFA endarterectomy ± femoral distal bypass. Major or minor amputations were observed in none of the R3 patients and in only three (3.9%) and five (6.5%) of the R4 to R6 patients, respectively. Compared with the atherectomy + PTA group, patients in the PTA-only group had a significantly lower patency. Furthermore, during long-term mean follow-up of 42.5 months, the CFA provisional stent group had a 100% primary patency, which was significantly better than the primary patency in the CFA nonstent groups combined (77.0%; P = .0424).

Data from this study to date would suggest that percutaneous CFA interventions in select patients are relatively safe and effective. In the long term, CFA stenting has significantly better primary patency than CFA atherectomy and PTA combined. CFA atherectomy + PTA has significantly better primary patency than CFA PTA-only at midterm, especially in patients with claudication. Future randomized controlled trials are warranted.