title: Is completion arteriography mandatory after reversed-vein bypass grafting?
abstract: Many surgeons advocate uniform performance of operative completion arteriography after leg bypass surgery to ensure technical success and to optimize short- and intermediate-term graft patency. To determine the impact of this practice on the outcome of reversed-vein bypass surgery and associated patient charges, we reviewed our series of consecutive nonemergent leg bypass procedures. Ninety-three infrainguinal bypass procedures were performed in 80 patients (76 men and 4 women) from September 1991 to August 1994. The patients' average age was 67 years (range, 30 to 92 years). Follow-up (mean, 113.1 months; range, 1 to 36 months) was available on 91 grafts (97%). Indications for surgery included limb salvage in 75 cases, claudication in 12 cases, and popliteal aneurysm exclusion in 6 cases. All patients survived surgery. Primary graft patency rates as determined by life-table analysis were 87%, 81%, 78%, and 78% at 6 months and at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively. Limb-salvage rates were 95%, 91%, 87% and 87% at the same intervals. Bypass procedures were divided into two groups. The 25 grafts in group 1 were evaluated with inspection, continuous-wave Doppler insonation, and routine completion arteriography. The 68 grafts in group 2 were evaluated by inspection and insonation alone. Fourteen grafts occluded after surgery (average, 5 months; range, 1 to 12 months), five in group 1 and nine in group 2. The likelihood of graft occlusion was similar in both groups (p = 0.42). The optimal method of confirming technical adequacy after bypass surgery in the clinically satisfactory graft remains uncertain. Charges for completion arteriography at our institution average $700, including 15 minutes of additional operative time. In our experience, these charges do not appear to be justified by improved short- or intermediate-term graft patency rates in reversed-vein grafts when completion arteriography is performed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Palo Alto Veterans Affairs, CA, USA.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Dalman
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Zarins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000783:Aneurysm / Q000601:surgery; D000792:Angiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D017722:Hospital Charges; D006801:Humans; D007264:Inguinal Canal / Q000098:blood supply; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000601:surgery; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply; D015993:Life Tables; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D011150:Popliteal Artery / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D014654:Vascular Patency; D014680:Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000637:transplantation*