[Short occlusion of the superficial femoral artery: argument for medical treatment].

In cases of superficial femoral artery occlusion, the choice between endovascular therapy and medical rehabilitation is only relevant in the presence of an occlusion shorter than 10 cm. Thirty to fifty per cent of patients who had an endovascular procedure will have their artery patent for one year. The true benefit of this result can only be assessed by taking into account the efficiency of the medical treatment, the costs and the risks of the endovascular treatments. Endovascular techniques should be reserved for selected patients: psychologically or socially incapable of accepting the slowness and the restraints of the medical treatment.