title: [Subintimal angioplasty for superficial femoral artery occlusions: first experience in Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess prospectively the first experience of subintimal angioplasty of superficial femoral artery occlusions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Within a period of 36 months, 45 patients with 45 chronic occlusions in superficial femoral artery were treated at Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The technical success rate was 84.4%, and four failures were treated by conventional surgery. The following complications occurred: one hematoma at the arterial puncture site, one artery spasm, and two distal embolizations. The mean length of occlusions was 14.2+/-1.4 cm. The mean ankle-brachial index improved from 0.41+/-0.15 to 0.81+/-0.04 after successful subintimal angioplasty (P<0.001). Primary assisted patency rates were 94.7%, 92.1%, 84.2%, 81.6%, and 81.6% at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively. The limb salvage rates were 100% and 97.8% at 1-3 and 6-12-24 months, respectively. There were no treatment-related amputations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subintimal angioplasty of occluded superficial femoral artery is a safe and minimally invasive procedure with a high initial technical success rate, low complication rate, and good early results, and in case of failure, subsequent surgery can be performed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Kaunas University of Medicine, Kaunas, Lithuania. nalex@takas.lt
authors.forename: Nerijus
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aleksynas
authors.forename: Rytis Stasys
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Kaupas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000792:Angiography; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000379:methods*; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply; D023821:Limb Salvage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014654:Vascular Patency