title: Vein, Gore-tex or a composite graft for femoropopliteal bypass.
abstract: Experience with a variety of graft materials has suggested that the nature of the material significantly affects long term graft patency. In 126 femoropopliteal bypass grafts performed during a 54 month period, the over-all patency rate for RSV (68.0 per cent at three years) was significantly superior to either Gore-tex alone (34.1 per cent at three years) or a composite graft of RSV below the knee anastomosed to Gore-tex above the knee (49.3 per cent at three years). The composite graft performed significantly better than Gore-tex alone, however, in patients with poor runoff or when a distal anastomosis was performed below the knee. The reason for the superior performance of RSV or the composite over Gore-tex alone probably relates to compliance mismatch at the site of the distal anastomosis. While RSV remains the graft material of choice for femoropopliteal bypass grafting, a extensive role exists for the use of a composite graft rather than Gore-tex graft alone especially in patients with poor runoff with an anastomosis below the knee.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005268:Femoral Vein / Q000601:surgery*; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D011152:Popliteal Vein / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000637:transplantation*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene