title: Conduit choice for above-knee femoropopliteal bypass grafting in patients with limb-threatening ischemia.
abstract: Many surgeons consider PTFE to be the conduit of choice for above-knee femoropopliteal bypass grafting, since PTFE is relatively easy to implant and spares autogenous saphenous vein (ASV) for subsequent peripheral or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). This practice has recently been challenged, as some studies have suggested that ASV may exhibit superior patency in certain patient subgroups. The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine the contemporary outcome of above-knee femoropopliteal bypass grafting in patients with limb-threatening ischemia. Between January 1995 and December 2000, 159 above-knee femoropopliteal bypass grafts were created for limb-threatening ischemia (rest pain or tissue loss). There was a high incidence of comorbid illness, including open foot wounds at the time of operation (62%), hypertension (58%), coronary artery disease (53%), diabetes mellitus (36%), cerebrovascular disease (23%), prior contralateral bypass or amputation (21%), disadvantaged or "blind" outflow (19%), prior ipsilateral bypass (14%), prior CABG (11%) end-stage renal failure (7%). The use of PTFE predominated (n = 11), with a minority of grafts comprising single-segment ipsilateral or contralateral ASV (n = 18). Although the small number of patients undergoing ASV grafting limited the statistical power of comparison, our results suggest that above-knee ASV performs better than PTFE in patients with limb-threatening ischemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Section of Vascular Surgery, University of Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Curi
authors.forename: Christopher L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Skelly
authors.forename: Shari L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Meyerson
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Tina R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: McKinsey
authors.forename: Hisham S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Bassiouny
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: Bruce L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Gewertz
authors.forename: Lewis B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Schwartz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000601:surgery; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000601:surgery*; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D023821:Limb Salvage / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011150:Popliteal Artery / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000601:surgery*; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene