Kissing Stents in the Common Femoral Artery Bifurcation for Critical Limb Ischemia: Technical Description and Report of Three Cases

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to describe three cases of kissing stent placement in the common femoral artery bifurcation in patients unsuitable for open endarterectomy and patch plasty. In three patients with critical limb ischemia, caused by primary atherosclerotic disease or dissection-related injury when performing a lower extremity intervention, a technique of kissing stents was used to treat the flow-obstructing lesion in the common femoral artery bifurcation. Technical success was uniform, and during follow-up (4.5–8 months), all patients showed improved symptoms, wound healing, and duplex ultrasonography–verified patency of the stents. Kissing stents in the common femoral artery bifurcation are a feasible treatment option in patients with limited mobililty or contraindications to open repair. The short-term results seem promising, but longer follow-up and an increased number of patients will be needed to assess the durability of the reconstruction.