Teflon guide-wire-assisted semi-closed Vollmar endarterectomy of the superficial femoral artery. A review of 25 cases and the state of the art from a literature review.
In this retrospective study, we analysed 25 guide-wire-assisted Vollmar endarterectomies of an occluded superficial femoral artery. In 96% of the cases, the patient suffered from a Fontaine stage III or IV. After a mean follow-up of 24.7 months, limb salvage is 96%. The patency rate is 84% which is comparable with a femoropopliteal bypass with a reversed greater saphenous vein graft. We advocate the Vollmar endarterectomy as a valuable alternative surgical treatment for occlusive superficial femoral artery in the absence of a greater saphenous vein or in young smoking patients (< 65 years).