Question

Which of the following is the best Stent for Femoropopliteal Bypass ?

• A. Dacron
• B. Reversed saphenous
• C. PTFE
• D. None

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Think about what tissue the device must integrate with. A femoropopliteal stent-graft has to sit across a mobile, medium-sized artery and still allow healing of the vessel wall. Step 2: The widely used Viabahn device answers this: it is built from an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene ($ePTFE$) lining over an external nitinol cage, with a controlled $30$-$100$ micron porosity that permits endothelial in-growth, and its luminal surface is heparin-bonded to reduce thrombosis. Step 3: This makes PTFE the prosthetic material of choice for chronic lower-limb ischaemia stenting. Step 4: Dacron performs well in high-flow aortic positions but tends to do poorly below the inguinal ligament, and although an autologous reversed saphenous vein is biologically superior when harvestable, the question targets the best prosthetic stent option, which is PTFE. \[\boxed{\text{PTFE}}\]