Long term results of 66 femoral-to-femoral by-pass grafts: a 9-year follow-up.

Over an 8-year period, 66 femoral-to-femoral grafts were performed for unilateral iliac artery disease. The grafts were inserted retropubically with an operative mortality of 4.5 per cent. The minimum follow-up has been 12 months and cumulative patency 80 per cent at 6 years. Sixteen patients had critical ischaemia (preoperative Doppler ankle pressure less than 40 mmHg) and 50 patients had severe ischaemia (preoperative ankle pressure greater than 40 mmHg). The graft significantly improved initial ankle pressures and this improvement was maintained at late follow-up (average 45 months). There was no evidence of a detrimental effect on the donor limb. Long term patency was adversely affected if there was preoperative critical ischaemia, a woven Dacron prosthesis was used or the patient continued to smoke.