Late results of autogenous vein by pass grafts in femoropopliteal arterial occlusion.

The outcome of 185 consecutive autogenous vein bypass grafts for femoro-popliteal occlusions carried out between January 1962 and June 1968 has been reviewed. One patient died at operation and 21 late deaths have occurred since. The overall five-year patency was 61.5%, but was much lower when the popliteal-tibial runoff arteries were diseased. Distal anastomosis of the graft to the popliteal artery below the level of the knee joint also impaired the results, and if this was performed with a graft of minimal diameter less than 5 mm. sustained patency was obtained in only a quarter of the limbs. Nevertheless, where major amputation was imminent owing to advanced ischaemia three out of four limbs were salvaged.