title: Impedance analysis versus colour Duplex in femorodistal vein graft surveillance.
abstract: Fifty patients who have undergone femorodistal bypass surgery have been followed up using impedance analysis and colour Duplex, with biplanar intraarterial digital subtraction angiography being used as the arbiter to define "at risk" grafts. An impedance score of 0.49 (0.43-0.55) was found in the "at risk" grafts, all of which underwent an interventional procedure compared to 0.39 (0.36-0.42) (p = 0.003, Mann-Whitney U test) in those with no problem. In total, 166 examinations were performed. The sensitivity and specificity were all greater than 91% when compared to angiography. Impedance analysis is simple, non-invasive, easy to perform and it takes only 10 min to complete the examination. In view of the results obtained using impedance analysis in comparison with Duplex scanning, we suggest that non-invasive impedance is a suitable alternative to colour Duplex for graft surveillance (mean +95% confidence interval).
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Studies, Bristol Royal Infirmary, U.K.
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Magee
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wyatt
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Baird
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Horrocks
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000601:surgery; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010992:Plethysmography, Impedance; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014680:Veins / Q000637:transplantation