Femoropopliteal bypass for chronic lower limb ischemia : review of 48 cases

Abstract EN

Femoropopliteal bypass (FPB) refers to revascularization of the ischemic lower limb using venous or synthetic graft to bypass occluded superficial femoral or proximal popliteal artery.

Our aim was to evaluate the outcome of FPB for critical limb ischemia (CLI) or severe intermittent claudication (IC) in 2 vascular centres in Baghdad, Iraq.

Forty eight patients (39 male) with CLI or IC were studied over 19 months.

The mean age was 57.

5 ± 13.

2 yr.

All except 5 were studied retrospectively by medical charts review.

Diagnosis included Doppler ultrasonography (DUS) and angiography.

Standard operative technique was followed.

Atherosclerosis was the main etiology (n = 45, 93.

7 %).

The main presentation was CLI (n = 43, 89.

6 %).

Diabetics stayed longer whereas patients receiving synthetic or vein grafts had similar hospitalization periods.

DopplerUS was done in 33.

4 % of patients; and was conclusive in 43.

8 %.

Angiography was done in 17 patients (35.

4%) ; all except one had CT angiography.

The predominant graft was the PTFE (n = 34).

There was one death (2.

1%).

Despite drawbacks of the study, early complications were nil, mortality was low, and twenty five out of 30 grafts (83.

3 %) remained patent during 6 months -1 year follow-up period.

Longer followup is needed to evaluate the late outcome.