Laser angioplasty for superficial femoral and proximal popliteal artery occlusion.

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).