title: Impact of runoff on superficial femoral artery endoluminal interventions for rest pain and tissue loss.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  While aggressive endoluminal therapy for superficial femoral artery (SFA) occlusive disease is commonplace, the implications of runoff on long-term outcomes of these interventions in patients with rest pain and tissue loss is unclear. Runoff is known to negatively effect graft patency. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of distal runoff on long-term outcomes of SFA interventions for critical ischemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective database of patients undergoing endovascular treatment of the SFA between 1986 and 2007 was queried. Patients with Rutherford symptom classification 4, 5, and 6 were selected. Patients with concomitant tibial interventions were excluded. Pre-operative angiograms were reviewed in all cases to assess distal popliteal and tibial runoff and were scored according to modified Society of Vascular Surgery criteria for both vessels such that a higher score implies worse runoff (minimum 1 and maximum 19). Three runoff score groups were identified: <5 (good), 5-10 (compromised), and >10 (poor). Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were performed to assess time-dependent outcomes. Multivariate and factor analyses were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three hundred six limbs in 241 patients (57% male, mean age 68 years) underwent endovascular treatment for critical ischemia (44% rest pain and 56% tissue loss.) Technical success was 96% with 61% SFA undergoing angioplasty, 37% SFA primary stenting and 2% SFA an atherectomy. Overall mortality was 1% and overall morbidity was 16% at 90 days after the procedure. At 5 years, vessels with compromised and poor runoff had significantly worse cumulative patency (82 +/- 9%, 56 +/- 4%, and 52 +/- 7% for good, compromised, and poor runoffs, respectively, mean +/- standard error of the mean [SEM]). Freedom from recurrent symptoms (65 +/- 8%, 39 +/- 9%, and 18 +/- 9% for good, compromised, and poor runoffs, respectively) and limb salvage (65 +/- 5%, 41 +/- 4%, and 20 +/- 6% for Good, Compromised, and Poor runoffs, respectively) were incrementally curtailed by worsening runoff with significant decreases as runoff category deteriorated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients presenting with rest pain and tissue loss who are treated with SFA percutaneous interventions, patency is negatively affected by compromised and poor runoffs in keeping with the bypass literature. More importantly, freedom from recurrent symptoms and limb salvage are incrementally curtailed as runoff scores worsen. These findings are consistent with the bypass literature.
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Methodist DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center, The Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. mdavies@tmhs.org
authors: Mark G
authors: MG
authors: Davies
authors: Wael E
authors: WE
authors: Saad
authors: Eric K
authors: EK
authors: Peden
authors: Imran T
authors: IT
authors: Mohiuddin
authors: Joseph J
authors: JJ
authors: Naoum
authors: Alan B
authors: AB
authors: Lumsden
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017130:Angioplasty / Q000295:instrumentation*; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017073:Atherectomy; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D007511:Ischemia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D023821:Limb Salvage; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011150:Popliteal Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D012008:Recurrence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015607:Stents; D016909:Tibial Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014654:Vascular Patency