title: Long-term results of infrainguinal arterial reconstruction with spliced veins are equal to results with non-spliced veins.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to determine the long term patency of spliced and non-spliced infrainguinal vein grafts.
  
  
  METHODS
  a prospective registry of all patients undergoing infrainguinal arterial reconstruction with autogenous vein material was retrospectively interrogated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  between October 1988 and August 2000, 515 infrainguinal arterial reconstructions were performed on 472 patients. A total of 429 bypasses were performed with uninterrupted greater saphenous vein, 86 reconstructions using spliced vein segments. There was no significant difference in primary (63% vs 57%) and primary assisted patency (81% vs 81%) of limb salvage (88% vs 91%) at 5 years. Limb salvage was not different (88% and 91% respectively). CONCLUSION the splicing of vein grafts does not compromise patency of limb salvage.
authors.affiliation: Vascular Unit Kantonsspital Aarau. thomas.eugster@ksa.ch
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eugster
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stierli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gürke
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017546:Angioscopy; D005260:Female; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000601:surgery*; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014680:Veins / Q000637:transplantation*