title: The effect of vein diameter on patency of in situ grafts.
abstract: In an attempt to evaluate the effect of vein diameter on early patency and long-term durability of in situ lower limb bypasses, we evaluated 195 femoral-distal, popliteal, and/or tibial bypasses constructed in 189 patients (153 men, 36 women), consisting of tibial bypasses in 116 (60%), and popliteal in 79 (40%). The operative angiograms were reviewed and the vein diameter was measured to the nearest 0.5 mm. Postoperative follow-up consisted of visits every three months where graft patency was assessed by physical examination and measurement of graft flow velocity and ankle-brachial indices. Conduits less than 3 mm had a higher rate of occlusion in the 0-30 day interval, but following that period performed satisfactorily. No conduit less than 2 mm was successfully utilized, because of inability to incise valves without injury in these tiny conduits. Following the perioperative period, conduit diameter does not affect the long-term durability of in situ bypass grafts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Towne
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Seabrook
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Bandyk
mesh_terms: D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011150:Popliteal Artery / Q000601:surgery; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000637:transplantation; D014654:Vascular Patency