Purpose: To describe the technique of subintimal recanalisation (SIR) and to present short-term results in femoropopliteal area. Materials and methods: The principle of this method is the creation of „neolumen“ in subintimal (extraluminal) space. From May 2002 to June 2003, 26 long femoropopliteal artery occlusions in 25 patients with median age of 64.3 years (range 39 - 89 years) were indicated to subintimal recanalisation. Lesion median length was 15.4 cm, range 5 to 30 cm. The indication for treatment was intermittent claudication in 16 patients (65 %) and critical ischaemia in 9 patients (35 %) - 4 of them had rest pain and 5 of them ulceration or gangrene. Results: Subintimal recanalisation was successful in 23 patients of 24 femoropopliteal artery occlusions. Primary technical success was achieved in 92.3 %. In the group of primarily successful procedure, in 6 months 17 patients (70.8 %) improved clinically. The patent recanalised vessel was found in 13 patients on duplex imaging and the reocclusion was found in 4 clinically improved patients. Primary patency rate in 6 months was 54.2 %. Conclusion: Subintimal recanalisation is a simple and safe procedure. In selected patients there is high primary technical success rate. Primary 6 months patency rate in comparison to surgical treatment is relatively low.

        Key words: subintimal recanalisation - angioplasty - femoropopliteal occlusion