title: Preferential use of nonreversed vein grafts in above-knee femoropopliteal bypasses for critical ischemia: midterm outcome.
abstract: We evaluated nonreversed vein grafts in above-knee bypasses for chronic critical limb ischemia in a retrospective study with intention-to-treat analysis in patients who underwent above-knee bypass grafting. During a 4-year period, 51 patients (men, 32; women, 19; mean age = 66 years) with 53 critically ischemic lower extremities underwent above-knee femoropopliteal bypass grafting. The follow-up evaluation consisted of clinical examination, assessment of the ankle-brachial systolic blood pressure index, and, whenever necessary, duplex scanning. Three (5.7%) deaths occurred within 30 days, two from myocardial infarction and one from an undetermined cause. The 2-year cumulative success rate was 82.5 +/- 9.6% for primary patency, 84.6 +/- 8.9% for secondary patency, 90.1 +/- 7.3% for tertiary patency, 86.9 +/- 7.6% for limb salvage, 77.7 +/- 8.4% for survival, 68.0 +/- 11.1% for composite patency, and 68.4 +/- 9.3% for amputation-free survival; the corresponding estimates for vein grafts alone were 86.6 +/- 9.2%, 88.9 +/- 8.6%, 89.0 +/- 8.5%, 88.1 +/- 8.1%, 81.1 +/- 9.1, 76.8 +/- 11.1%, and 72.6 +/- 10.2%. Three prosthetic grafts failed and were replaced with an arm vein graft. Nonreversed vein bypass grafts in above-knee revascularization of critically ischemic limbs are justified.
authors.affiliation: University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. nluccia@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: De Luccia
authors.forename: Francisco C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Brochado-Neto
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romiti
authors.forename: Marise
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: José Maciel Caldas
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: dos Reis
authors.forename: Anai Espinelli S
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Durazzo
authors.forename: Maximiano Tadeu Villa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Albers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000671:Amputation, Surgical; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016638:Critical Illness; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D023821:Limb Salvage; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011150:Popliteal Artery / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000637:transplantation*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014654:Vascular Patency