The use of stabilized human umbilical vein for femoropopliteal bypass. Experience with 133 operations with 5-year follow-up.

One hundred thirty-three femoropopliteal bypasses using stabilized human umbilical vein were performed in 116 patients during a 5-year period. The indications for operation were claudication in 35% and limb salvage in 65%. There were eight deaths in the postoperative period, all due to myocardial infarctions, and all occurring in patients operated upon for limb salvage. Patients operated upon for claudication had a cumulative patency rate of 83% at 1 year and 63.5% at 5 years, while patients operated upon for limb salvage had patency rates of 66% and 50% at 1 and 5 years. Diabetics had a patency rate of 69% at 5 years. The quality of arteriographic runoff was the leading determinant of patency in all groups. Two instances of aneurysmal degeneration of the graft were seen, both 5 years after implantation, and two graft infections were observed.