Imaging the Stented Superficial Femoral Artery:
Fracture Analysis
John Karwowski, MDAssistant Professor
Division of Vascular Surgery
The Superficial Femoral Artery
Supplies the leg below the knee
Straight line conduit
The Superficial Femoral Artery
Prone to atherosclerosis and occlusion
Stent Failure
In-stent restenosis De facto primary failure
mode of SFA stenting Flow Compromise Thrombosis
Intimal Hyperplasia
Injury response Cellular mediated Pathologic
narrowing
J Invasive Cardiol 2003
Stent Fractures
Unclear contribution Severe recoil of the
original lesion? Mobile and free
superficial femoral artery?
Cause or coincidence?
Classification
Current Methods
FluoroscopyHi definition X-ray
Not validatedDifficult to reproduce
Open Cell Units