头臂型大动脉炎致严重脑缺血的手术治疗

目的探讨手术治疗头臂型大动脉炎所导致的严重脑缺血的疗效和经验。方法15例重症头臂型大动脉炎患者经胸行人工血管旁路术,升主动脉-双腋动脉、单颈内动脉(ICA)架桥6例,升主动脉-双腋动脉架桥3例,升主动脉-单腋动脉、单ICA架桥5例,1例合并腹主动脉闭塞的复合型,一期行升主动脉-双腋动脉、单ICA架桥,二期行单侧腋股搭桥术。结果经胸行人工血管旁路术可明显改善头臂型大动脉炎所导致的严重脑缺血症状。15例手术患者无一例死亡,术后随访3~40个月,患者均无明显脑缺血症状复发,并能正常地工作、生活。结论重症头臂型大动脉炎的患者如果出现严重的脑缺血症状,急性期如果激素治疗无效,或在非活动期,都应积极行人工血管旁路术。该手术不仅疗效确切,能迅速缓解症状,挽救患者的生命,预防失明和偏瘫;而且远期疗效肯定,辅以长期的药物治疗,能够达到治愈的效果。     

重症头臂型大动脉炎的诊治经验

目的 探讨重症头臂型大动脉炎的诊断和治疗方案。方法 12例重症头壁型大动脉炎中8例行人工血管旁路术,3例行颈总动脉球囊导管扩张术,1例保守治疗,结果 术后随访3-89个月,手术、扩张、保守3种治疗方法均明显地改善了脑缺血症状,并能正常生活,在手术治疗的患者中以行升主动脉-单侧颈动脉人工血管旁路术疗效最好。结论 重症头壁型大动脉炎的患者如果处于活动期应尽量以保守治疗为主,保守治疗可能缓解脑缺血的症状,处于非活动期时可根据情况选择介入或手术治疗,一侧颈总动脉没有完全闭塞可行股动脉穿刺置管对狭窄之颈总动脉进行球囊导管扩张术,如双侧颈总动脉均完全闭塞,我们主张以选择升主动脉-单侧颈内动脉人工血管旁路的手术方式,术中及术后应控制血压,并预防脑水肿的发生。     

Ⅰ型头臂型大动脉炎致颅内缺血14例临床分析

目的探讨大动脉炎导致颅内缺血的血管旁路术的选择及疗效。方法回顾性分析2005—2015年首都医科大学宣武医院血管外科14例Ⅰ型头臂型大动脉炎致颅内缺血病人的临床资料。14例均采用动脉旁路术,其中单侧颈总动脉闭塞且willis环不完整行升主动脉-单侧颈内动脉搭桥5例;双侧颈总动脉闭塞且willis环完整行升主动脉-单侧颈内动脉搭桥5例;双侧颈总动脉及双侧锁骨下动脉闭塞且willis环完整行升主动脉-双侧腋动脉搭桥1例;单侧颈总动脉及双侧锁骨下动脉闭塞且willis环完整行升主动脉-双侧腋动脉搭桥3例。结果 14例病人手术成功,共搭桥18条人工血管,1例术后出现右下肺感染及胸腔积液,1例术后人工血管急性血栓形成。病人术后症状明显改善10例、好转3例、无变化1例,近期治疗有效率为92.9%(13/14),人工血管通畅率为94.4%(17/18)。随访5~115个月,1例在术后5个月突发脑出血死亡,3条血管分别在术后6、66、79个月发生单侧颈内动脉人工血管闭塞,其余13条人工血管通畅,通畅率为81.3(13/16)。结论大脑willis环完整性对Ⅰ型头臂型大动脉炎导致颅内缺血的血管旁路术的选择有一定参考价值。     

血栓闭塞性脉管炎合并动脉硬化闭塞导致下肢缺血的手术治疗

目的 探讨下肢血栓闭塞性脉管炎(thmmboangiitis obliterans,TAO)合并动脉硬化闭塞症(arteriosclerosis obliterans,ASO)手术治疗效果.方法 回顾性分析2007年治疗的TAO合并ASO 6例患者的资料.2例行腹主动脉切开取栓+内膜剥脱+腹主动脉-股深动脉人工血管旁路移植-胭动脉人工血管-小腿动脉自体大隐静脉旁路移植术,1例行腹主动脉切开取栓+内膜剥脱+腹主动脉-右股深动脉人工血管旁路移植-膝下胭动脉人工血管旁路移植术;1例行左髂总动脉-左股深动脉人工血管旁路移植一胫前动脉自体大隐静脉原位移植术,1例行左侧人工血管切开取栓+左股深动脉成形-膝下腘动脉人工血管旁路移植术,1例行右股总动脉-左股总动脉人工血管旁路移植-胫后动脉自体大隐静脉旁路移植术.结果 5例患者术后恢复顺利,1例于术后当天出现股动脉-腘动脉人工血管和远段的大隐静脉桥血栓形成,立即再次手术行人工血管和大隐静脉切开取栓术,并同时行胫后动静脉吻合.6例患者均痊愈出院,无死亡病例.5例患者的下肢远端静息痛完全缓解,1例部分缓解.足部溃疡的2例创面明显缩小,无感染发生.所有患者得到随访,平均随访为6.5个月,3例足部溃疡愈合.1例术后3个月出现左股部切口感染,最终行膝上截肢处理,残端一期愈合.其他5例患者的移植血管通畅,症状缓解.结论 对TAO合并ASO患者如果手术治疗方式恰当,可以取得比较好的疗效.     

升主动脉-腹主动脉旁路移植术治疗、型大动脉炎

目的　为了有效治疗累及胸腹主动脉的 、 型大动脉炎 ,探讨升主动脉 -腹主动脉旁路移植术的手术疗效。　方法　自 1976年至 2 0 0 1年采用升主动脉 -腹主动脉旁路移植术治疗 、 型大动脉炎 4 7例 ,同期行人工血管与肾动脉旁路移植术 10例 ,冠状动脉旁路移植术和自体肾移植术各 2例 ,三尖瓣成形术和髂动脉旁路移植术各 1例。　结果　术后 1例死于凝血障碍出血 ,死亡率为 2 .13% ;术后因肠梗阻再手术 1例 ;存活患者血压和血运均明显改善 ,上肢血压较术前明显下降 ,平均为 118/ 77mm Hg (1k Pa=7.5 mm Hg) vs 177/ 83m m Hg;术后上、下肢血压差别无显著性意义。平均随访 8.2年 ,远期死亡 2例 (4.35 % ) ,再手术 1例 ,远期效果优良率为 81.82 %。　结论　升主动脉 -腹主动脉旁路移植术是治疗 、 型大动脉炎的简单、安全、远期疗效好的方法。     

腋- 腋动脉旁路移植术治疗锁骨下窃血综合征的临床疗效

目的:观察腋-腋动脉人工血管旁路移植术治疗锁骨下窃血综合征的临床效果及椎动脉血流的改善情况.方法:回顾性分析7年间64例采取腋-腋动脉人工血管旁路移植术治疗动脉硬化性锁骨下动脉窃血患者的临床资料.结果:手术成功率100％,全组无围手术期死亡.5例出现伤口血肿,8例术后出现神经受累症状,未出现伤口或人工血管感染病例.获随访的55例患者中,49例症状改善,其中术前椎动脉窃血为4级的患者有94.87％ (37/39)血流改善;3级患者中,62.50％ (5/8)血流改善;2例术前为2级的患者,未见血流改善.2例术后症状无改善,4例术后3～25个月再次出现头晕及患肢麻木,该6例患者中,5例血流改善.术后患者双上肢血压差平均恢复为10.22 mmHg,4例人工血管血栓形成,4例新发脑梗死.结论:对于锁骨下动脉窃血的患者,腋-腋动脉人工血管旁路移植术是安全有效的,该术式可以有效改善椎动脉的血流,但椎动脉的血流改善与症状并不完全平行.     

主动脉-颈总动脉人工血管旁路移植治疗Ⅰ型多发性大动脉炎

1999年1月至2007年6月,我们为6例Ⅰ型多发性大动脉炎病人进行了主动脉-颈总动脉人工血管旁路移植术,收到良好的临床效果,现总结报道如下.     

手术治疗锁骨下动脉闭塞症

目的探讨锁骨下动脉闭塞症的有效手术治疗方法。方法 2005年12月-2010年2月,收治锁骨下动脉闭塞症53例。男40例,女13例;年龄22～77岁,平均64岁。病程15d～20个月,平均6.5个月。动脉硬化闭塞症49例,大动脉炎4例。左锁骨下动脉闭塞35例,狭窄5例;右锁骨下动脉闭塞5例,狭窄4例;双侧锁骨下动脉闭塞4例。对39例单侧锁骨下动脉闭塞伴颈、脑动脉病变者采用腋动脉-腋动脉聚四氟乙烯(polytetra?uoroethylene,PTFE)人工血管转流术;10例不伴颈、脑动脉病变者行颈动脉-锁骨下动脉PTFE人工血管转流术。4例双侧锁骨下动脉闭塞者采用升主动脉-双锁骨下动脉PTFE人工血管转流术。术后常规应用抗凝及抗血小板药物治疗。结果 1例大动脉炎患者术后48h动脉吻合口及人工血管血栓形成;余52例手术均获成功,手术成功率98.11%。术中神经钳夹损伤2例,术后双侧吻合口周围血肿4例,均经保守治疗痊愈。52例手术成功患者均获随访,随访时间1～52个月,平均24.5个月。患者均存活,术前椎基底动脉及上肢动脉缺血症状均消失。彩色超声多普勒血流探测仪检查见吻合口及人工血管血流通畅,术后1年及2年人工血管通畅率均为100%;患侧椎动脉血流方向恢复正常。1例术后18个月出现腋动脉吻合口假性动脉瘤,行介入栓塞治愈。结论锁骨下动脉闭塞症的治疗术式较多,但应根据患者全身情况和病变特点进行合理选择。围手术期的正确处理及术中严格操作,是保证手术成功的关键。     

升主动脉-腹主动脉旁路移植术治疗Ⅱ、Ⅲ型大动脉炎

目的：为了有效治疗累及胸腹主动脉的Ⅱ、Ⅲ型大动脉炎，探讨升主动脉－腹主动脉旁路移植术的手术疗效。方法：自1976年至2001年采用升主动脉－腹主动脉旁路移植术治疗Ⅱ、Ⅲ型大动脉炎47例，同期行人工血管与肾动脉旁路移植术10例，冠状动脉旁路移植术和自体肾移植术各2例，三尖瓣成形术和髂动脉旁路移植术各1例。结果：术后1例死于凝血障碍出血，死亡率为2．13％；术后因肠梗阻再1列；存活患者血压和血运均明显改善，上肢血压较术前明显下降，平均为118／77mmHg(1kPa=7.5mmHg)vs 177/83mmHg；术后上、下肢血压差别无显著性意义。平均随访8．2年，远期死亡2例（4．35％），再手术1例，远期效果优良率为81．82％。结论：升主动脉－腹主动脉旁路移植术是治疗Ⅱ、Ⅲ型大动脉炎的简单、安全、远期疗效好的方法。     

大动脉炎性脑缺血的临床对策

目的 探讨大动脉炎颈部动脉阻塞所致重症脑缺血的临床对策。方法 1984至2003年间共收治103例,女性占92例。行升主动脉-双颈内动脉（ICA）架桥7例,升主动脉-腋动脉、单侧ICA架桥38例,升主动脉-双腋动脉架桥6例（2例施二期手术,人工血管-左ICA架桥）,升主动脉至右ICA架桥3例（2例于二期完成人工血管至左ICA架桥术）,经皮腔内血管成形术（PTA）5例,支架3例。结果 27例行保守治疗,其中9例好转,15例略有改善或基本无变化,发生偏瘫及死于中风和心肌梗死各1例。76例实施手术或介入治疗。其中手术治疗者68例,55例（80．9％）获得平均48个月的随访,随访结果：满意20例（36．4％）、较好21例（38．2％）、改善11例（20．0％）、无变化2例（3．6％）、死亡1例（1．8％）。8例接受介入治疗（PTA或支架治疗）者即时疗效佳,但在3～5个月内均复发。结论 提倡进行升主动脉-腋动脉-单侧ICA重建,或对锁骨下动脉窃血者施行升主动脉与双腋动脉重建术,如果需要,二者均可行人工血管二期手术,重建对侧ICA。     

颈动脉内膜剥脱术治疗颈动脉狭窄58例临床分析

目的 评估颈动脉内膜剥脱术治疗颅外颈动脉狭窄的疗效,并探讨经颅多普勒超声(transcranial Doppler,TCD)的价值. 方法回顾性分析2002年1月至2008年12月采用颈动脉内膜剥脱术治疗的58例颅外颈动脉狭窄的资料.40例伴有不同程度的脑缺血症状,18例无明显症状.颈动脉狭窄程度均在70%以上.41例行内膜剥脱后动脉单纯缝合,9例采用人工材料(涤纶)补片成形,8例行自体静脉补片成形.32例在TCD的监测下完成,26例没有采用TCD监测,28例则采用临时转流管. 结果手术成功率为100%,无死亡率.术前有腩缺血症状的40例患者中,术后大多数患者有不同程度的恢复.未采用TCD组患者5例(19.2%)术后出现脑血流过度灌注.采用TCD者未发现过度灌注的并发症.53例患者获随访,随访率为91.4%;随访时间为15～86个月,平均42.5个月.死亡5例.3例出现术后再狭窄(5.7%),其中2例接受颈动脉支架成形术,1例仍在观察随访中.结论 颈动脉内膜剥脱术治疗颅外颈动脉狭窄是一种安全、有效的措施;TCD监测对于转流管的选择提供重要依据,并对预防术后过度脑灌注具有指导作用.     

Surgical management of the occluded carotid artery

Of 36 patients with symptomatic total occlusion of the common carotid and/or internal carotid arteries, ipsilateral operation was performed in 20. Twenty-eight patients had occlusion of the internal carotid artery, four of the common carotid alone, and four had occlusion of both vessels. Thirteen patients had completed stroke. Noninvasive examination erroneously suggested internal carotid patency in three patients. Of six patients with occluded common carotid arteries, two underwent thromboendarterectomy, two underwent saphenous vein bypass, and two underwent Dacron graft bypass procedures. Five patients underwent attempted internal carotid thromboendarterectomy and three patients underwent external carotid endarterectomy. Seven patients underwent primary temporal to middle cerebral bypass procedures. There were no perioperative deaths and no patients had permanent neurologic deterioration. There were two postoperative complications. At follow-up 1 to 43 months after operation, five of six patients who had undergone common carotid revascularization had improved neurologically while other treatment groups had no definite improvement. Revascularization of an occluded common carotid artery is a safe procedure that successfully alleviates symptoms of cerebral ischemia. Internal carotid disobliteration and external carotid endarterectomy alone provide limited neurovascular benefit. Benefits of extracranial-to-intracranial bypass were not apparent from this small series.     

Planned extra-anatomic cerebral revascularization for carotid artery ligation

Cerebral revascularization, using extra-anatomic bypass grafts of autologous saphenous vein, was performed in three patients to prevent or to compensate for ischemic effects of emergency ligation of a carotid artery. These ligations were required after spontaneous disruption of common carotid arteries in patients with previous irradiation and radical head and neck surgery. External-carotid-to-external-carotid cross-over (submandibular) bypass graft was performed once, and ipsilateral axillointernal carotid bypass grafts twice. The role of infection in carotid artery rupture, the unpredictable nature and different mechanisms of cerebral malfunctions after carotid ligation, technical details of extra-anatomic bypass grafts, and anatomic considerations in the prevention of recurrent infection and bleeding are discussed. A planned approach of cerebral revascularization at the time of ligation appears to be preferable to a fortuitous outcome. Neurological disability and death from cerebral ischemia can be prevented by using extraanatomic bypass vein grafts.     

Patency of saphenous vein coronary artery bypass grafts from the vascular prosthesis of the ascending aorta.

BACKGROUND: Patients who have Stanford type A aortic dissection with impaired coronary arteries or who have aneurysms from the ascending aorta to the aortic arch with coronary artery disease need coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with tube graft replacement of the ascending aorta simultaneously. When vein grafts are used for CABG in these patients, the proximal anastomoses of vein grafts are attached to the prosthetic tube graft of the ascending aorta. However, the validity of proximal anastomoses of vein grafts to the prosthetic tube graft of the ascending aorta has not been confirmed. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients who underwent venous coronary bypass grafting with prosthetic graft replacement of the ascending aorta. Between January 1984 and October 2002, 35 patients underwent CABG using saphenous vein grafts at the time of tube graft replacement of the ascending aorta, and the proximal anastomoses of the vein grafts were attached to the tube graft of the ascending aorta. Thirty-three venous bypass grafts were analyzed in 24 survivors. RESULTS: The postoperative catheterization showed only one early vein graft occlusion of 16 vein grafts anastomosed distally to the left anterior descending artery (LAD). All 14 venous grafts anastomosed to the right coronary artery (RCA) and 3 to the left circumflex artery (LCX) were patent. Therefore, the postoperative patency rate at discharge was 97.0% (32/33). Spiral computed tomography performed for long term follow-up revealed occlusion of two vein grafts (3.5 years and 9.7 years) anastomosed to the LAD. CONCLUSIONS: The patency rate of vein grafts anastomosed from prosthetic grafts of the ascending aorta to the native coronary arteries was similar to that of conventional CABG using saphenous vein grafts.     

Ipsilateral subclavian to external carotid and STA-MCA bypasses for retinal ischemia

The surgical treatment of a patient with retinal ischemia in the left eye and occlusion of the left common and internal carotid and right internal carotid arteries is presented. After demonstration of filling of the left external carotid artery from vertebral collaterals, as saphenous vein graft from the left subclavian to the left external carotid artery was performed prior to a left superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery bypass. This case demonstrates the feasibility of revascularization in the presence of occlusion of the ipsilateral common and internal carotid arteries.     

Subclavian-external carotid bypass for symptomatic severe cerebral ischemia from common and internal carotid artery occlusion

Occlusion of the common and internal carotid arteries in a patient with symptomatic severe cerebral ischemia, with or without contralateral carotid disease, portends a poor prognosis. The present study has described our experience with subclavian and external carotid artery revascularization for symptomatic severe cerebral ischemia from common and internal carotid artery occlusion. Nine patients (five men and four women) with a mean age of 62 (range 41 to 82 years) were diagnosed as having symptomatic severe cerebral ischemia. All patients had ipsilateral hemispheric symptoms, seven had amaurosis fugax, and two had associated syncope. Four patients (three men and one woman) were hypertensive, four (two men and two women) had diabetes, eight smoked, and all had a history of coronary artery disease. All of the patients had noninvasive laboratory studies and preoperative angiography, and three had postoperative angiography. Five patients were successfully revascularized to a patent external carotid artery despite nonvisualization by angiography. Six patients had unilateral and three bilateral occlusion of the common and internal carotid arteries appropriate to their symptoms. Using regional anesthesia, four patients underwent a subclavian-external carotid bypass with polytetrafluoroethylene; saphenous vein was used in five; and three had concomitant axilloaxillary bypass grafting with polytetrafluoroethylene. Neurologic improvement (that is, no subsequent deficit and no progression of symptoms) was noted in all nine patients with a follow-up of 4 to 28 months (mean 11.2 months). Two patients died from myocardial infarction 4 and 7 months after operation. Subclavian-external carotid artery bypass is a safe addition to the options for the treatment of symptomatic severe cerebral ischemia with occlusion of the common and internal carotid arteries, visualization of a superior thyroid collateral vessel on the recipient end, and nonvisualization of the external carotid artery.     

The tandem bypass: subclavian artery-to-middle cerebral artery bypass with dacron and saphenous vein grafts. Technical case report

BACKGROUND: Fusiform or dolichoectatic intracranial aneurysms often cannot be managed with conventional surgical or endovascular techniques, and instead require trapping and revascularization techniques. On rare occasions in elderly patients, extracranial sites used for anastomosing the bypass have been previously repaired with synthetic vascular prostheses. This circumstance in an elderly subarachnoid hemorrhage patient led to a novel bypass procedure, the tandem bypass: a long extracranial-to-intracranial bypass with two grafts of different materials assembled in series. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 71-year-old man with carotid artery atherosclerotic disease and a previous vascular reconstruction (subclavian artery-to-internal carotid artery Dacron interposition graft) presented with a subarachnoid hemorrhage from a dolichoectatic supraclinoid ICA aneurysm. The aneurysm was treated with trapping and distal revascularization. The final construct was a subclavian artery-to-middle cerebral artery bypass, with the graft being the previous Dacron prosthesis and a long saphenous vein. The vein graft was anastomosed end-to-side to the Dacron graft proximally, and end-to side to the middle cerebral artery distally. Subsequently, inflow to the aneurysm was occluded with clips on the Dacron graft beyond the proximal anastomosis of the vein graft, and outflow from the aneurysm was occluded with clips on the supraclinoid ICA. CONCLUSIONS: The tandem bypass, which uses prosthetic graft material and saphenous vein in succession, is a technically straightforward technique in patients who need extracranial-to-intracranial bypasses and who also have pre-existing carotid reconstructions or lack sufficient saphenous vein to complete a long bypass.     

Composite sequential grafts for femorocrural bypass reconstruction: experience with a modified technique

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the efficacy of a modification of the composite sequential femorocrural bypass graft that we adopted in 1985, a retrospective case-note study was undertaken. The grafts combined a prosthetic femoropopliteal section with a popliteal to crural section with autologous vein, linked via a common intermediate anastomosis sited on the above-knee popliteal artery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1985 and 2000, 68 grafts of this type were constructed in 65 patients with critical ischemia of the lower limb and insufficient autologous vein for construction of an all venous bypass. Reasons for insufficient long saphenous vein included previous lower limb bypass in 33 cases, phlebitis in 16 cases, venous hypoplasia in eight cases, and previous varicose vein surgery in seven cases. Distal anastomoses were carried out to the peroneal artery in 26 cases, the anterior tibial artery in 17 cases, the posterior tibial artery in 17 cases, and the pedal arteries in eight cases. Sources of vein included the long saphenous vein in 26 cases, the arm vein in 38 cases, and the short saphenous vein in two cases. In 22 limbs (32%), angiography had shown an occluded segment of above-knee popliteal artery, and in these cases, local popliteal disobliteration was performed to receive the composite anastomosis and to provide additional outflow. RESULTS: The 2-year cumulative primary patency, secondary patency, and limb salvage rates were 68%, 73%, and 75%, respectively. Localized popliteal disobliteration did not compromise graft patency (P =.07, with log-rank test). CONCLUSION: In the absence of sufficient autologous vein, patients needing bypass to crural arteries can be offered reconstruction with composite sequential grafting with satisfactory results. Furthermore, an occluded above-knee popliteal segment is not a contraindication for composite sequential bypass reconstruction.     

Present status of reversed vein bypass grafting: five-year results of a modern series

From January 1980 through December 1988, 564 limbs in 434 patients were treated for infrainguinal arterial ischemia. Of these, 516 limbs in 387 patients underwent reversed vein bypass grafting. The remainder were treated by primary amputation (11 limbs, 1.9%) or by prosthetic bypass (37 limbs, 6.4%). The indications for operation were limb salvage in 80% of limbs and claudication in 20%. Adequate ipsilateral greater saphenous vein was available for 285 (55%) grafts, with reversed vein bypass achieved in the other 231 operations by use of distal graft origins (151 grafts), use of alternate vein sources (120 grafts), and splicing of venous segments (81 grafts). Seventy-six grafts (15%) were to the above-knee popliteal artery, 199 grafts (37%) were to the below-knee popliteal artery, and 241 grafts (47%) were to infrapopliteal arteries, 26 of which (11%) were to inframalleolar arteries. The primary and secondary patencies for all grafts at 5 years were 75% and 81%, respectively. Grafts to infrapopliteal arteries had significantly worse primary patency (69%) at 5 years than did grafts to the popliteal artery (77%, above knee; 80%, below knee) and grafts formed of adequate ipsilateral greater saphenous vein had significantly better primary patency (80%) than did grafts performed when this conduit was not available (68%). Secondary patency of all graft categories ranged from 76% to 85%, and there were no significant differences regardless of site of distal anastomosis, source of venous conduit, or site of graft origins. We prefer the use of reversed vein bypass grafting for lower extremity revascularization both because of the excellent patency results and because the technique can be applied to the larger number of patients in our practice who lack intact ipsilateral greater saphenous vein, in contrast to in situ vein bypass procedures.     

Treatment of giant intracranial aneurysms with saphenous vein extracranial-to-intracranial bypass grafting: indications,operative technique,and results in 29 patients

OBJECTIVE: The treatment of giant intracranial aneurysms is a challenge because of the limitations and difficulty of direct surgical clipping and endovascular coiling. We describe the indications, surgical technique, and complications of saphenous vein extracranial-to-intracranial bypass grafting followed by acute parent vessel occlusion in the management of these difficult lesions. METHODS: Between January 1990 and December 1999, 29 patients with giant intracranial aneurysms underwent 30 saphenous vein bypass grafts followed by immediate parent vessel occlusion. There were 11 men and 18 women with a mean follow-up period of 62 months. Twenty-five patients harbored aneurysms involving the internal carotid artery, 2 had middle cerebral artery aneurysms, and 2 had aneurysms in the basilar artery. Serial cerebral or magnetic resonance angiograms were obtained to assess graft patency and aneurysm obliteration. RESULTS: All 30 aneurysms were excluded from the cerebral circulation, with 28 vein grafts remaining patent. Two patients had graft occlusions: one because of poor runoff and the other because of misplacement of a cranial pin during a bypass procedure on the contralateral side. Other surgical complications included one death from a large cerebral infarction, homonymous hemianopsia from thrombosis of an anterior choroidal artery after internal carotid artery occlusion, and temporary hemiparesis from a presumed perforator thrombosis adjacent to a basilar aneurysm. CONCLUSION: With appropriate attention to surgical technique, a saphenous vein extracranial-to-intracranial bypass followed by acute parent vessel occlusion is a safe and effective method of treating giant intracranial aneurysms. A high rate of graft patency and adequate cerebral blood flow can be achieved. Thrombosis of perforating arteries caused by altered blood flow hemodynamics after parent vessel occlusion may be a continuing source of complications.