Purpose: To determine the efficacy of percutaneous endoluminal stents and stent-grafts for the treatment of isolated femoropopliteal aneurysms.
Methods: Seven men (age 51-69 years) with femoropopliteal occlusions (n = 6) related to aneurysms and a patent femoropopliteal aneurysm (n = 1) were treated percutaneously. In two patients uncovered Wallstents and in five patients polyester-covered nitinol stents were implanted. Assessment was performed with Doppler ultrasound and duplex ultrasonography 24 hr, 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after the intervention. Additionally, intraarterial angiography was performed at 6 months.
Results: Stent placement succeeded in all cases. No immediate adjunctive surgical treatment was necessary. Ankle-brachial index (ABI) improved from 0.29 +/- 0. 29 (SD) before to 0.78 +/- 0.23 (SD) 24 hr after the intervention. One patient was lost to follow-up. Stent-graft occlusion occurred in four patients: after 2 days (n = 1), 1 month (n = 2), and 3 months (n = 1). One of the patients, whose stent occluded at 1 month, underwent successful recanalization with local fibrinolysis therapy. Three of the seven, all with three-vessel run-off, demonstrated patency of the stent, which was assessed by duplex ultrasonography at 29, 31, and 34 months. Breaking of the stent struts or significant stent migration was not observed.
Conclusions: These results in a small number of patients warrant further investigation to evaluate the role of percutaneous stents in femoropopliteal aneurysms. Until further data of clinical studies are available, this method cannot be recommended, and it cannot replace surgical treatment.