Arterial homografts. Long term observation of results.

In 29 consecutive cases of resection and aortic homograft replacement done between 1954 and 1958, the only surgical mortality occurred 14 days postoperatively and was due to a rupture of the implanted vessel.Seven patients have died (after a survival time averaging 21 months postoperatively) of causes not directly related to the aortic disease or to the operation.Twenty-one patients were still living some three to six and a half years after the implantation procedure-all of them active and showing no clinical evidence of aneurysmal dilatation. Infant thoracic aorta was used for homograft in the femoropopliteal area in three cases. Two of the patients were still living at the time of last report, four and five years after operation, with no evidence of obstruction or dilatation. This is perhaps indicative of the superiority of this material over plastic prosthesis for this purpose.