Hemodynamic assessment of the iliac disease by proximal thigh pressure and Doppler femoral flow velocity.

In 22 normal and 51 limbs with arterial occlusive disease, upper thigh blood pressure at rest and after the knee exercise, Doppler flow velocity tracing at the common femoral artery, and the mean femoral velocity tracing during the postischemic reactive hyperemia were investigated. These results were compared with angiographic findings, and the diagnostic value for assessing the iliac disease was discussed. Measurement of the upper thigh pressure after the knee exercise enables prediction of the significant stenosis of the iliac artery. The pressure index of 0.55 or less after exercise indicates a significant disease in the iliac artery, which should be corrected prior to distal vessel reconstruction or percutaneous vascular recanalization.