title: Results of different operative procedures for patients with popliteal artery aneurysms.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Long term results of four different operative procedures for the treatment of popliteal artery aneurysms were investigated either performed by short venous or segmental alloplastic interpositions or long femoro-popliteal below the knee bypass using alloplastic grafts or autologous vein.
  
  
  METHODS
  47 patients treated for 50 popliteal aneurysms (mean diameter +/- SD: 3.5 +/- 1.1 cm) were analyzed (follow-up: 40.2 +/- 4.9 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Primary patency rate was 78% and secondary patency rate was 86% at 5 years. Frequency of operative reinterventions was higher in patients treated for acute ischemia and in patients treated with alloplastic interpositions or alloplastic bypass (p = 0.026). Secondary patency rates were higher in patients treated with autologous venous interpositions or venous femoro-popliteal bypass (p = 0.022). Times of secondary vascular patency were significantly shorter for patients treated with short alloplastic interpositions in comparison to long alloplastic femoro-popliteal bypass procedures, short venous interpositions or long venous bypass operations (p = 0.018).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For the treatment of patients with popliteal aneurysms autologous venous interposition is therefore recommended or as an alternative venous or alloplastic femoro-popliteal below the knee bypass.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Klinikum Grosshadern, University of Munich, Marchioninistrasse 15, D-81377 Munich, Germany. rkopp@med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kopp
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cascio
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weidenhagen
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Stelter
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meimarakis
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lauterjung
mesh_terms: D000671:Amputation, Surgical; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000783:Aneurysm / Q000601:surgery*; D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000601:surgery; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply; D023821:Limb Salvage; D008382:Marfan Syndrome / Q000601:surgery; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D011150:Popliteal Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014680:Veins / Q000637:transplantation*
chemical_list: D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene