Subintimal angioplasty as the first-choice revascularization technique for infrainguinal arterial occlusions in patients with critical limb ischemia

Our aim was to appraise the feasibility and outcomes of subintimal angioplasty (SA) for the percutaneous revascularization of infrainguinal arterial occlusions in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI). We retrospectively assessed 117 SA procedures in 109 limbs with complete infrainguinal occlusions from 105 patients with CLI. Among these, the superficial femoral artery (SFA) was the only occluded vessel in 27 limbs, while infrapopliteal (IP) occlusions occurred in 82. Average clinical follow-up was 13.5 months (range 1-37). Outcomes were assessed according to the site of SA (SFA vs. IP) and the length of the occlusion (< vs. > or =10 cm). Univariate analyses for the rate of limb salvage and patient survival according to the Kaplan-Meier method were performed. SA-based revascularization had a success rate of 84.4% per limb (89% in SFA and 83% in IP occlusions). During follow-up 12 patients (11.3%) underwent major limb amputation, 11 (10.3%) underwent bypass surgery, and 14 (13.7%) died. Most amputations occurred in patients in whom SA had been unsuccessful and were associated with long (> or =10 cm) occlusions (p = 0.055). Clinical restenosis occurred in seven (6.6%) patients. Survival analysis showed at 6, 12, and 24 months limb salvage rates of 90%, 87%, and 85% and overall survival rates of 90%, 88%, and 83%, respectively. Complications of SA were uncommon (4.7%) and all were successfully managed percutaneously. Infrainguinal SA is an effective revascularization technique that provides a high likelihood of limb salvage and should be the first-choice strategy in the management of patients with CLI.     

Hospital costs of revascularization procedures for femoropopliteal arterial disease

Purpose: On the basis of analyses performed 8 to 10 years ago, hospital costs for percutaneous transluminal angioplasty were believed to be no more than one third those of bypass. Given increasing awareness of cost as an important component in management decisions, updated information is needed.Methods: From 1985 to 1991, clinical and hospital cost data were collected prospectively for 255 admissions for femoropopliteal bypass and 82 for femoropopliteal angioplasty. Mean hospital costs and length of stay per admission were calculated for subgroups of patients defined by procedure and indication, and multiple regression analysis was performed.Results: For all admissions the mean hospital cost for angioplasty was $16,341 and for bypass it was $17,076 (nonsignificant difference). Excluding admissions associated with additional procedures, angioplasty cost on average $8019 and bypass $13,439, a significant difference (p = 0.0001). Stratification by indication demonstrated a significant difference for patients with disabling claudication (p = 0.0001), but the difference was of borderline significance for patients with critical ischemia (p = 0.08). An increasing trend in costs for angioplasty of $1270/yr was demonstrated during the study period, whereas the costs for bypass decreased by $370/yr.Conclusion: In contrast to what has been reported previously, the ratios of hospital costs of angioplasty to bypass were 53% for patients with disabling claudication and 75% for those with critical ischemia. (J VASC SURG 1994;19:632-41.)     

Use of arterial grafts for coronary revascularization

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance and the quality of arterial grafts for coronary artery bypass grafting at The Heart Institute of Japan, Tokyo Women’s Medical University.Patients and Methods: From January 1970 to March 1998, 2987 arterial grafts, including left and right internal thoracic arteries, gastroepiploic artery, radial artery and inferior epigastric artery, were used in 1673 patients. In the same period, 1225 saphenous vein grafts were used. Early graft patency was angiographically determined. Also, histological evaluation of operative specimens and preoperative angiographic evaluation of arterial grafts were performed.Results: The total number of hospital deaths was 38 (2.3%). Of 4212 grafts, 3919 grafts (93%) were evaluated angiographically and 3714 of 3919 grafts were patent (94.8%). The patency rate of internal thoracic artery was better than that of gastroepiploic artery (p < 0.0001), radial artery (p = 0.0005) and saphenous vein grafts (p < 0.0001). However, the patency rate of gastroepiploic artery was better than that of saphenous vein grafts (p = 0.04), while no significant difference was detected between gastroepiploic artery and rdial artery. Only one internal thoracic artery specimen obtained at surgery showed atherosclerotic change, but all gastroepiploic artery specimens had moderate to severe atherosclerotic changes with CD68-positive cell infiltration. Only one patient’s left internal thoracic artery out of 200 was not angiographically useable as a conduit, while multiple stenotic lesions in gastroepiploic artery were observed.Conclusions: In the graft selection for CABG, the primary choice is internal thoracic artery and the secondary choice is right internal thoracic artery, from the standpoint of histological and angiographic evaluation, gastroepiploic artery and/or radial artery, depending on the target anastomotic site, degree of stenosis, and in situ or free use is the third choice.     

Prospective randomized study on bilateral above-knee femoropopliteal revascularization: Polytetrafluoroethylene graft versus reversed saphenous vein

OBJECTIVE: Some controversy exists as to whether polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is equivalent to reversed saphenous vein (SV) as bypass graft material for above-knee femoropopliteal revascularization. We compared the 5-year patency rate with reversed SV and PTFE grafts in patients with claudication who underwent bilateral above-knee femoropopliteal revascularization. METHODS: Between January 1994 and December 1997, 51 patients (102 limbs) with bilateral disabling claudication due to superficial femoral artery occlusion underwent above-knee femoropopliteal bypass grafting, with SV in one limb and PTFE graft in the other limb. Patients were randomly selected for sequential surgical treatment with either SV-PTFE or PTFE-SV. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate patency rate, and various factors were analyzed to ascertain any association with revascularization failure. RESULTS: There was no perioperative (30 day) limb loss or death, but five late deaths (late survival rate, 90%). Mean follow-up was 59 months. In the SV group, three bypass grafts failed, requiring repeat operation in only one patient. In the PTFE group, eight bypass grafts failed, leading to five repeat operations. There was no statistically significant difference in primary "assisted" patency rate for the two grafts: 100%, 98%, and 94% for SV grafts, and 96%, 84%, and 84% for PTFE grafts (P =.09), after 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The overall results of this randomized study show that SV and PTFE grafts have a statistically comparable patency rate when used above the knee in patients with claudication. Use of SV, however, leads to fewer occlusions and repeat operations.     

Deep leg veins as femoropopliteal bypass grafts

Conclusion Our extensive experience indicates that resection of normal superficial femoral and popliteal veins is free of significant late morbidity. Adequate evidence to the contrary has never been presented. Our 5-year patency rates using deep leg veins equal or surpass the best results ever reported with saphenous veins. Erroneous presentation of our work, as exemplified by the comments of Bergan and associates, tends to delay the acceptance of a major arterial graft source. Deep leg vein grafts represent an important advance in arterial reconstructive surgery, and we are confident that future reports by other groups will confirm the high patency rates and lack of significant late morbidity in our reports [36, 37, 43] and that of Noppeney [1].     

Meta-analysis of femoropopliteal bypass grafts for lower extremity arterial insufficiency

BACKGROUND: In femoropopliteal bypass surgery, the use of saphenous vein grafts is preferable, but synthetic grafts are widely used above the knee. The objective of this meta-analysis was to assess the long-term patency of femoropopliteal bypass grafts classified as above-knee polytetrafluoroethylene, above-knee saphenous vein, or below-knee saphenous vein. METHODS: Studies published from 1986 through 2004 were identified from electronic databases and reference lists; 73 articles contributed 1 or more series that used survival analysis, assessed femoropopliteal bypasses in one of the foregoing configurations, reported a 1-year graft patency rate, and included at least 30 bypasses. The series with a predominance of claudicant patients were included in meta-analysis C, and the series in which critical ischemia predominated were included in meta-analysis CI. Pooled survival curves of graft patency were constructed. RESULTS: In meta-analysis C, the pooled primary graft patency was 57.4% for above-knee polytetrafluoroethylene, 77.2% for above-knee vein, and 64.8% for below-knee vein at 5 years; there was a significant difference between above-knee grafts at 3, 4, and 5 years (P < .05). The corresponding pooled secondary graft patency was 73.2%, 80.1%, and 79.7%, respectively (P > .05). In meta-analysis CI, the pooled primary graft patency was 48.3% for above-knee polytetrafluoroethylene, 69.4% for above-knee vein, and 68.9% for below-knee vein at 5 years; there was a significant difference between above-knee grafts until 4 years (P < .05). The corresponding pooled secondary graft patency was 54.0%, 71.9%, and 77.8%, respectively, with a significant difference between above-knee grafts at 2, 3, and 4 years (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The great saphenous vein performs better than polytetrafluoroethylene in femoropopliteal bypass grafting and should be used whenever possible.     

Patency of femoropopliteal and femorotibial grafts after outflow revascularization (jump grafts) to bypass distal disease

Repair of failing femorodistal bypass grafts with secondary distal "jump" grafts was performed 34 times in 33 patients. Indication for operation was limb salvage for all distal jump grafts and for 85% of the initial femorodistal bypass grafts. Autogenous vein bypass grafts were used in 28 of 33 initial femorodistal grafts (85%) and in 29 of 34 secondary jump grafts (85%). Sixteen of the 33 initial grafts in jeopardy extended to the infrapopliteal level (48%) and 19 of the jump grafts terminated in foot or ankle arteries (56%). The 12 jump grafts performed in the first 2 months of the initial graft were associated with high rates (9%) of graft thrombosis and amputation. Early loss of viability of initial grafts probably resulted from technical and judgment errors or underestimation of distal disease. Progression of distal disease produced late failure after 1 year of implantation of the initial grafts. The 1-year patency rate of the initial femorodistal grafts was 63% but only 32% of these grafted limbs were viable and were not at risk of amputation. Distal jump grafts produced a 49% improvement in limb viability (to an 81% limb salvage rate) and an 11% increase in the initial graft patency rate (to 74%) at 1 year.     

Long term results of autogenous vein bypass grafts in femoropopliteal arterial occlusion

The results of 329 consecutive autogenous vein grafts carried out between January 1962 and June 1973 have been reviewed. The 5- and 10-year mortality rates were 14.6 per cent and 18.7 per cent respectively. The corresponding patency rates were 70 per cent at 5 years and 34 per cent at 10 years, the lowest patency (27.8 per cent) occurring in below-knee anastomoses with grafts of 5 mm or less in diameter. As other have noted, the state of the popliteal--tibial run-off vessels had a considerable influence on long term patency rates. In severely ischaemic limbs, the limb salvage rate following this operation was 77 per cent. An analysis of symptoms, associated disease and complications is presented and discussed. No valid conclusions could be made regarding the effect of lumbar sympathectomy and postoperative anticoagulants on long term patency. This review has confirmed the findings of earlier studies that a satisfactory 5-year patency rate and a gratifying limb salvage rate can be achieved with an extremely low operative mortality rate of 0.37 per cent. Despite the presence of widespread atherosclerotic arterial disease, the 5-year mortality rate is 14.6 per cent, indicating that an attempt at reconstructive surgery is usually well worth while.     

全动脉化冠状动脉搭桥的临床应用

目的 介绍全动脉移植物行冠状动脉搭桥的早期效果和临床经验。方法 采用全动脉移植物87例冠心病患者实施冠状动脉搭桥。其中男性患者82例,女性5例;单支冠状动脉病变14例,2支病变19例,3支病变54例。62例患者术前有心肌梗死,7例合并室壁瘤,1例合并主动脉瓣关闭不全。71例患者在体外循环下行冠状动脉搭桥术,16例在非体外循环下行冠状动脉搭桥术。同时行室壁瘤切除术7例,行主动脉瓣替换1例,行冠状动脉内膜剥脱2例。应用左乳内动脉84例次,右乳内动脉46例次,胃 网膜右动脉37例次,左桡动脉51例次。单个远端吻合14例,2个19例,3个50例,4个4例。结果 围手术期死亡2例（病死率2．3％）,1例为围手术期心肌梗死低心排,1例为顽固性心律失常。3例术后发生胸骨裂开切口感染,再次清创处理后痊愈。本组患者随访1．0－30．0个月（平均13．2个月）,1例患者因突发脑血管意外在术后40d死亡,其余患者术后均恢复良好,无心绞痛症状再发。B超检查乳内动脉移植血管均通畅。结论 全动脉化冠状动脉搭桥具有良好的临床应用效果,尤其适合于年轻的冠心病患者。     

Role of right gastroepiploic artery in myocardial revascularization with arterial grafts

Between July 1990 and December 1992, 112 patients underwent myocardial revascularization with arterial grafts in the Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Milan. Monovascular patients were excluded from the study. The right gastroepiploic artery was used in 44 patients (39.3%); mean age was 54.3 years and reoperation rate 18.2%. Of the 44 patients, previous myocardial infarction had occurred in 25 (57%). Emergency operation was performed in one case (2%). Mean left ventricular shortening fraction was 36% and mean ejection fraction 58.6%. Coronary artery disease was bivascular in 10 patients (23%) and trivascular in 34 (77%). The arterial revascularization in patients with gastroepiploic artery was performed using a left internal thoracic artery graft in all 44 patients; the right internal thoracic artery was used in 18 (41%) and the inferior epigastric artery in two (4%). The sites of gastroepiploic artery grafting were 55% posterior descending, 16% right coronary artery, 11% posterolateral branch, 14% circumflex and in 4% posterior descending and posterolateral as sequential graft. No patient died; postoperative myocardial infarction rate was 4%. No complications related to gastroepiploic artery utilization were noted. Forty-three (98%) of the gastroepiploic artery group underwent graft reinvestigation: the arteries were correctly visualized in 41 patients (95%) and were patent in 39 cases and stenotic in two. A mid-term postoperative stress test (mean 17.4 months) was performed in 91% of patients. Normal limits were found in 37 patients (92.5%) and an abnormal stress test result in three (7.5%). The contemporary follow-up showed no deaths or myocardial infarctions. Three patients (7%) had recurrent angina. The rote of gastroepiploic artery in arterial revascularization has become fundamental, especially, it is believed, for the posterior or posterolateral left ventricular wall. The present data show the patients to be clinically and functionally well 1 year after operation.     

Clinical experience with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore-Tex) grafts for femoropopliteal arterial bypass

Thirty-seven grafts of expanded polytetrafluo-roethylene were implanted in 28 patients in whom autogeneous saphenous vein was not available, either for symptoms of severe claudication or limb salvage. The length of follow-up ranges from 8 to 28 months. The patency rate is 86.9 percent for the patients with severe claudication and 71.4 percent in the limb salvage group; the overall patency rate is 81 percent. We believe that expanded polytetrafluoroethylene is a good prosthetic substitute when autogenous vein is unavailable.     

Place of the right gastro-epiploic artery in coronary revascularization by exclusive arterial grafts]

From March 1990 to July 1991, 35 patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafts using the right gastro-epiploic artery (GEA). Twenty-nine patients had exclusively arterial grafts using a combination of GEA and internal mammary artery (IMA) in situ. The selection criteria for this group of 29 patients included a life expectancy exceeding ten years to avoid the need for reoperation due to deterioration of the grafts. This group consisted of 27 men and two women under the age of 70 years (mean age: 58 years, range: 36 to 70), 11 patients (38%) were under the age of 50 years and 15 (52%) were under the age of 60 years. Cardiac status was relatively well preserved. The mean ejection fraction was 58% (range: 25-70%). Fourteen patients (48%) had had a preoperative myocardial infarction. Fifty-five p. cent were smokers, 41% suffered from HT and 31% had a dyslipidaemia. Six patients (20%) had respiratory failure, 6 others (20%) were severely overweight and 2 patients were diabetic. According to the NYHA classification, 14 patients (48%) were stage IV, 9 patients (31%) were stage III and 6 patients (20%) were stage II. The mean number of bypass grafts per patient was 2.8 and 8 sequential bypass grafts (27%) were performed. The GEA was used in 29 cases, the left IMA was used in 28 cases, the right IMA was used in 13 cases and the epigastric artery was used as a free graft in 3 cases. Associated lesions included a resected left ventricular aneurysm. No associated valve procedures were performed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Postoperative changes in bypass vein grafts and collateral arteries after femoropopliteal arterial reconstructive surgery.

Postoperative changes in the bypass veins and collateral arteries after femoropopliteal arterial reconstructive surgery were evaluated on the basis of control arteriographic studies. Arteriographies were made in 87 cases after venous bypass reconstruction. There were three aneurysms during the follow-up. Ten of the 69 patent bypass veins showed multiple stenotic lesions one to six months after surgery. It was assumed that these changes were caused by intimal hyperplasia. There was a statistically significant decrease in the size of the profunda femoris artery when the reconstruction was functioning at the time of control arteriography. However, no significant decrease was found in the group in which the reconstruction failed before one year postoperatively. Similar observations were made regarding the size and number of the midzone and re-entry collateral vessels.     

Should polytetrafluoroethylene grafts be used in preference to saphenous vein for femoropopliteal arterial bypass?

Some surgeons have advocated using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) as the graft material of choice for femoropopliteal arterial bypass so that the saphenous vein could be preserved for future cardiovascular surgery. We have examined our results to see if this approach could be justified in our patient population. PTFE was used for 101 femoropopliteal reconstructions in 96 patients (56 male and 40 female). Thirty-eight (40%) complained of debilitating claudication and 58 (60%) had limb-threatening ischaemia. There were 83 primary PTFE femoropopliteal reconstructions and 18 repetitive procedures after failure of an earlier ipsilateral bypass. Twenty-nine of the 101 PTFE grafts were anastomosed distally to the popliteal artery above knee and the remaining 72 below knee. At 5 years, the cumulative patency for all grafts was only 11%. The 4 year cumulative patency was better for claudicants (40%) than for those with threatened limb loss (11%) but two of the 38 claudicants required amputation when their grafts failed. Patency rates were not significantly affected by the site of the distal anastomosis or by a previous failed ipsilateral femoropopliteal bypass. Worthwhile limb salvage was achieved only by frequent re-operation. Our results with PTFE are not good enough to use it in preference to an adequate saphenous vein for femoropopliteal bypass.     

Hemodynamic profiles during piggyback liver grafts using arterial or portal revascularization

BACKGROUND: The order of revascularization in human liver grafts is still discussed. This study tries to answer this question in terms of hemodynamic data. STUDY DESIGN: Fifty-nine patients were randomized in this study to compare hemodynamic data just before and 15 minutes after revascularization of liver grafts in relation to first hepatic artery (n = 29) or first portal vein (n = 30) revascularization procedure. RESULTS: Hemodynamic variations were significantly greater in the portal vein group than in the hepatic artery group in terms of mean arterial pressure, cardiac index, central venous pressure, pulmonary capillary pressure, and systemic vascular resistance. The latter decreased from 741.8 +/- 390.3 to 659.9 +/- 411.1 dynes/ cm5 (NS) in the hepatic artery group versus 807.7 +/-336.7 to 439.7 +/- 215 dynes/cm5 (p < 0.05) in the portal vein group. Clinical results and postoperative complications, graft characteristics, patient survival, and graft survival were not significantly different between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Initial arterial revascularization of the liver graft leads to a more stable hemodynamic profile during revascularization of the liver graft after vascular unclamping. This technique is always feasible and has become our reference procedure.