title: Laser angioplasty for superficial femoral and proximal popliteal artery occlusion.
abstract: A prospective study of percutaneous laser assisted thermal angioplasty for superficial femoral and proximal popliteal artery occlusions was performed on 93 consecutive patients with a mean length of occluded segment of 7.6 cm. Technical success was achieved in 78 patients (84%). Subsequent patency or occlusion has been confirmed by duplex ultrasound scanning or arteriography. The crude patency rate for successfully recanalised vessels was 48% during a mean follow-up period of 18 months. Subsequent femoropopliteal bypass or amputation was required in 20% of these patients. Factors predictive of reocclusion were a length of occluded segment greater than 8 cm (p = 0.05) and less than two patent vessels below the knee (p = 0.005).
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Westmead Hospital, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hazelton
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kenny
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Avramovic
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moylan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016342:Angioplasty, Laser; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011150:Popliteal Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation