[Non-invasive determination of the hemodynamic significance of vasoconstriction: study of the arteria femoris profunda using ultrasound].

In case of occlusion of the superficial femoral artery (SFA), the profunda femoris artery (PFA) supplies the entire lower extremity. Not infrequently the SFA occlusion is associated with stenosis of the origin of the PFA. The angiographic study of the origin of PFA is often unsatisfactory. The purpose of the present study was to develop objective criteria for the diagnosis of the PFA origin stenosis by duplex scanning. In 60 patients, we examined 75 femoral bifurcations by duplex scanning and compared them with the independently performed angiography. Group I. (n = 20 PFA origins) consisted of 10 normal individuals. Group II. (n = 30 PFA origins) consisted of 25 patients with angiographically proven SFA occlusion and normal PFA. Group III. (n = 25 PFA origins) consisted of 25 patients with angiographically proven SFA occlusion and PFA orifice stenosis. We measured the maximal systolic and mean flow velocity in the orifice of the PFA at rest and during the maximal hyperemia following 3 min of ischemia of the lower leg. At rest, the maximal flow velocity in the groups I-III. was 60 +/- 15, 142 +/- 44 and 255 +/- 60 cm/s (p less than 0.01) and the mean flow velocity was 8 +/- 6, 32 +/- 9 and 96 +/- 42 cm/s (p less than 0.01). During hyperemia, the maximal and mean flow velocity for the groups I-III. was 59 +/- 15, 155 +/- 42 and 286 +/- 82 cm/s (p less than 0.01) and 8 +/- 5, 55 +/- 19 and 144 +/- 51 cm/s (p less than 0.01), respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)