Superficial Femoral Artery Mirror Lesions; Risk Factors, Diagnosis, and Clinical Presentation

Abstract

Two-sided atherosclerotic involvement of peripheral arteries is common in clinical practice; however, the data about it in the literature is limited. This study aimed to investigate the frequency, clinical characteristics, and predictors of bilateral symmetric total superficial femoral artery (SFA) occlusions (mirror lesions). Between January 2015 and April 2020, 167 patients with symptomatic total SFA occlusions were retrospectively analyzed. Unilateral and bilateral SFA occlusions were determined, and the risk factors and clinical presentation were investigated between the two groups. Among 167 patients, 95 (57%) had bilateral SFA lesions, and 30 (18%) presented with critical limb ischemia (CLI). In the bilateral SFA occlusion group, male sex was dominant (p=0.002), and peripheral artery disease (PAD) history was higher (p=0.030). Additional iliac lesions (p = 0.003) and below-knee lesions (p