Pulsed Doppler assessment of deep femoral artery hemodynamics: a preliminary report.

The functional capability of the deep femoral artery (DFA) as a collateral channel is an important feature in patients suffering peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). A noninvasive method of indirect quantification of the DFA blood flow volume is presented. In normal lower limbs, it was found that the common femoral artery (CFA) mean blood flow volume was maintained at 59% of its resting value when the superficial femoral artery (SFA) was occluded by a pneumatic cuff placed around the thigh. The reduction of the mean flow volume is mainly due to an increase of the diastolic backward flow, while the maximum systolic flow remains constant. In a few patients with various degrees of stenosis of the DFA, we observed a much greater drop in mean CFA blood flow volume than in normal subjects. On the basis of this preliminary study, we conclude that: --When the normal SFA is occluded, pulsatile flow through the CFA is maintained. --Occlusion flow reflects the runoff and the compliance of the DFA bed. --Occlusion flow is diminished in patients with DFA stenosis. It is suggested that this non-invasive test might help the physician to assess the involvement of the DFA in PAOD. Further investigation is needed to establish the correlation between quantitative occlusion blood flow volume and the degree of DFA stenosis.