title: Is there an alternative to the surgical above-knee bypass in treatment of superficial femoral artery disease? Experiences with Viabahn stent graft.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We conducted a retrospective study to compare short- and mid-term patencies of Viabahn with surgical above-knee prosthetic bypass (pAKB).
  
  
  METHODS
  The records of 52 patients with either pAKB (n = 25) or Viabahn (n = 27) were reviewed. The majority had Rutherford clinical grade 3. Patients were followed after 3, 6, and 12 months and yearly thereafter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For Viabahn, the short-term (1-16 months) primary patency rate was 60% with a secondary patency rate of 90%, and mid-term (1-68 months) patencies of 47% and 83.3%, respectively. In pAKB, the short-term results revealed a primary patency rate of 78% with a secondary patency of 91% and mid-term results of 65% and 90%, respectively. No statistical difference was found concerning short-term patencies. Mid-term primary patency was lower for Viabahn (P < .05) and secondary patency proved no significant difference.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Viabahn revealed similar short-term primary and secondary patencies but lower mid-term primary patency. It provides a good alternative therapy to pAKB.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: A Fawad
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Jebran
authors.forename: Aron F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Popov
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zenker
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bireta
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Friedrich
authors.forename: Bernhard C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Danner
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bougioukas
authors.forename: Friedrich A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Schoendube
authors.forename: Tomislav
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stojanovic
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015607:Stents; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014654:Vascular Patency
keywords: Viabahn; ankle brachial index; endovascular; lower extremities; superficial femoral artery disease; surgical above-knee bypass