Surgical Treatment of Functional Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome: Results of a Systematic Approach Based on the Section of the Medial Gastrocnemius Attachment

NCT ID: NCT07147556

Last Updated: 2025-09-08

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Total Enrollment: 70 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-10-31
• Study Completion Date: 2026-12-31

Brief Summary

Functional popliteal artery entrapment syndrome (FPAES) is a rare unique clinical entity that does not have associated with anatomic abnormalities and, therefore, is thought to be functional in nature (1,2). It has been first described by Rignault et al. in 1985, and its true mechanism is not well understood (3,4). Given the relative lack of knowledge of FPAES in the literature and the reported outcomes after decompressive surgery are limited and not standardized. The objective of this study was to describe our diagnostic and peri-operative protocol, clinical outcomes of a unique surgical management technique based on the systemic section of the attachment of the medial head of the gastrocnemius.

Detailed Description

This study is a single-center retrospective study of all patients who underwent surgical treatment of FPAES between 2015 and 2025 by 2 vascular surgeons. Patients will be identified via hospital database and data collection including patients' demographics, clinical presentation, length of hospitalisation, participation in sport, diagnostic workup, procedural details and complications, clinical improvement, and postoperative imaging were prospectively collected from a dedicated institutional database. To evaluate objectively the functional improvement as well as to assess the effectiveness of the surgical intervention, the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) was used post operatively at the time of conducting this study. The LEFS is a self-administered questionnaire, comprised of 20 items, to assess patient's ability to perform everyday tasks and has been used by clinicians as a measure of patients' lower extremity initial function, ongoing progress and outcome after surgical intervention as well as to evaluate the functional impairment of lower extremities.

Conditions

Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: COHORT
• Study Time Perspective: RETROSPECTIVE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

All patients who underwent surgical treatment of functional popliteal artery entrapment syndrome between 2015 and 2025 and agree to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria

-

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Raphaël COSCAS, MD, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

CHU Ambroise Paré - APHP

Central Contacts

Raphaël COSCAS, MD, PhD

Role: CONTACT

raphael.coscas@aphp.fr

01 49 09 55 85

References

Singh N. Functional popliteal entrapment: A diagnostic and treatment conundrum. J Vasc Surg. 2019 Nov;70(5):1563. doi: 10.1016/j.jvs.2019.02.019. No abstract available.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 31653376 (View on PubMed)

Hislop M, Kennedy D, Cramp B, Dhupelia S. Functional Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome: Poorly Understood and Frequently Missed? A Review of Clinical Features, Appropriate Investigations, and Treatment Options. J Sports Med (Hindawi Publ Corp). 2014;2014:105953. doi: 10.1155/2014/105953. Epub 2014 Sep 7.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 26464888 (View on PubMed)

Rignault DP, Pailler JL, Lunel F. The "functional" popliteal entrapment syndrome. Int Angiol. 1985 Jul-Sep;4(3):341-3.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 3831156 (View on PubMed)

Turnipseed WD. Functional popliteal artery entrapment syndrome: A poorly understood and often missed diagnosis that is frequently mistreated. J Vasc Surg. 2009 May;49(5):1189-95. doi: 10.1016/j.jvs.2008.12.005.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 19394547 (View on PubMed)

Binkley JM, Stratford PW, Lott SA, Riddle DL. The Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS): scale development, measurement properties, and clinical application. North American Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Research Network. Phys Ther. 1999 Apr;79(4):371-83.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 10201543 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

2025-A01670-49

Identifier Type: REGISTRY

Identifier Source: secondary_id

APHP251098

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id