Clinical Outcome of Surgical Endarterectomy for Common Femoral Artery Occlusive Disease

Background: Although common femoral artery endarterectomy (CFE) is the standard treatment for occlusive disease of the common femoral artery (CFA), several studies have noted encouraging results for endovascular therapy in this anatomical area. Methods and Results: A retrospective multi-center study of 118 consecutive limbs from 111 symptomatic patients undergoing CFE between April 1998 and December 2014 was performed. Seventy-five CFE were performed on limbs for intermittent claudication and 43 CFE were performed for critical limb ischemia (CLI). The prevalence of perioperative complications was higher in patients with CLI than in the claudication patients. The technical success rate was 99% in all cases. The 1- and 5-year primary patency rates were 100% and 100% for claudication and 95% and 95% for CLI, respectively. The assisted-primary patency rates were 100% at both time points in both groups. Freedom from major amputation at 1 and 5 years was 100% and 100% in the claudication patients and 93% and 82% in the CLI patients, respectively. The 1- and 5-year overall survival rates were 97% and 89% in the claudication patients and 69% and 33% in the CLI patients, respectively. Conclusions: CFE is a safe, effective and durable procedure for occlusive disease of the CFA. This procedure should remain the standard treatment for this anatomical region.