The femoral arterial flow velocity pattern in patients with atherosclerotic obstruction of the femoropopliteal segment. A study based on pulsed Doppler ultrasound flowmetry.

The flow velocity pattern in the common femoral artery was analyzed in 107 limbs with femoropopliteal atherosclerotic obstruction and a normal aortoiliac segment. A pulsed wave Doppler ultrasound flowmeter was used. The highest (Va), the lowest (Vb) and the time average of the mean (V mean) velocities were obtained, and the pulsatility index (PI = Va-Vb/V mean) was calculated. In limbs with occluded (PI = 6.2) or greater than 50% stenotic (PI = 5.8) femoropopliteal segment, the flow velocity curve was slightly damped, with PI lower than in a control group (PI = 8.2). Neither stenosis of the profunda femoris artery nor the number of occluded leg arteries influenced the hemodynamic values in limbs with occluded femoropopliteal segment. Dampening of the femoral arterial flow velocity curve and reduced PI may indicate a stenotic (greater than 50%) or an occluded femoropopliteal segment. This flow pattern is also seen in aortoiliac atherosclerosis. In 76 limbs studied after femoropopliteal bypass, PI normalized when the bypass was patent, but was unchanged when the graft was occluded. Analysis of femoral arterial flow velocity pattern with calculation of PI may be useful in postoperative evaluation of femoropopliteal reconstruction.