5-year Limb Salvage Rate Research Articles

Unilateral aortofemoral bypass: A safe and effective option for the treatment of unilateral limb-threatening ischemia

To determine whether unilateral aortofemoral (AUF) bypass is a safe and effective option for the treatment of unilateral limb-threatening ischemia in patients with aortic or bilateral iliac occlusive disease, we reviewed the results of 42 AUF bypasses performed using polytetrafluoroethylene grafts in patients operated on for limb salvage; 11 (26%) of the patients also underwent femoropopliteal or femorodistal (FP/D) bypasses. The indications for surgery were tissue necrosis or ulceration in 18 (43%) patients and rest pain in 17 (40%) patients. The 5-year primary graft patency and limb salvage rates for AUF bypass were 74% and 84%, respectively. The perioperative mortality rate was 5%. There were no significant differences in the primary graft patency or limb salvage rates in patients who underwent AUF bypass with or without FP/D bypass. Only 3 of 41 (7%) AUF bypass patients required subsequent femorofemoral bypass. We conclude that: (1) AUF bypass is a safe and effective surgical option in patients with unilateral limb-threatening ischemia and aortic or bilateral iliac occlusive disease; (2) the routine performance of an aortobifemoral or axillobifemoral bypass in patients with unilateral limb-threatening ischemia may be unnecessary; and (3) AUF bypass facilitates the combined inflow and infrainguinal operations that are frequently required for limb salvage in these patients.

Improving survival and limb salvage in patients with aortic graft infection

A 15-year experience with 38 aortic graft infections, including 15 patients with graft enteric fistulas, is reviewed in order to analyze modern-day surgical results utilizing extra-anatomic bypass and aortic graft excision. Perioperative mortality was 14% during the most recent 7-year interval, which was a notable improvement compared with the earlier time interval (p = 0.06). Extended follow-up of the perioperative survivors demonstrated a 77% cumulative 5-year survival and a 76% cumulative 5-year limb salvage rate. Subsequent axillofemoral graft infection occurred in 22% of survivors and resulted in a significantly higher amputation rate compared with those patients with no axillofemoral graft infection (p less than 0.001). The results suggest good perioperative and long-term survival in patients with aortic graft infection, with excellent limb salvage if subsequent axillofemoral graft infection can be avoided.

Serial noninvasive studies do not herald postoperative failure of femoropopliteal or femorotibial bypass grafts.

We performed a 5-year retrospective case-control study of 232 patients undergoing femoropopliteal (n = 188) or femorotibial (n = 44) bypass to determine if serial noninvasive studies herald postoperative graft failure. We correlated serial ankle/arm pressure indices (API) with graft patency. An interval drop in API of greater than or equal to 0.20 was considered hemodynamically significant, but interventional therapy was carried out only for clinically symptomatic graft failure and an API less than 0.20 above the preoperative value. The cumulative 5-year limb salvage rate was 82% and the patient survival was 63%. A significant drop in API did not correlate with cumulative 5-year graft patency. The 5-year cumulative primary graft patency rates were 60% and 62% in patients with stable and interval drops in API, respectively (Z = 0.15, p = N.S.) These results suggest that a significant drop in postoperative API does not predict patients with impending femoropopliteal or femorotibial graft failure. We believe that routine noninvasive surveillance and prophylactic intervention on detected asymptomatic lesions in leg bypass grafts may not be justified.

Long-Term Results of Combined Iliac Balloon Angioplasty and Distal Surgical Revascularization

Long-term results of combined use of iliac artery percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) and distal surgical revascularization for the management of multilevel occlusive disease were evaluated over a 12-year period. A total of 79 combined procedures were performed in 75 patients. All patients had tandem occlusive disease, with the inflow lesion felt to preclude a distal revascularization procedure alone. Revascularization was performed for incapacitating claudication in 17 (22%) and limb salvage indications in 62 (78%) cases. A mean resting iliac artery pressure gradient of 29 +/- 11 mmHg pre-PTA was reduced to 0.9 +/- 0.4 post-PTA. Major complications of PTA occurred in five (6%) cases, but four were successfully corrected at the time of the distal surgical procedure without alteration of the operative plan. Infrainguinal operations included 55 femoropopliteal or tibial bypass grafts, 18 femorofemoral grafts, and 6 profundaplasties. Mean follow-up was 43 months. By life table analysis, the 5-year primary patency rate of the distal surgical procedures was 76%; a secondary patency of 88% at 5 years was achieved by various means of reintervention. Mean pretreatment ankle/brachial index of 0.31 +/- 0.14 increased to 0.80 +/- 0.16 after operation (p less than 0.0001). The 5-year limb salvage rate was 90%. There were no operative deaths. We conclude that in carefully selected patients, combined use of iliac PTA and distal surgical reconstruction is effective and durable, safely reducing the extent of surgical intervention while reliably increasing the comprehensiveness of revascularization.

The reoperative potential of infrainguinal bypass: Long-term limb and patient survival

The present study reviews the fate of patients undergoing reoperation after failure of infrainguinal bypass grafts. During a 10-year period, 202 patients with failed distal bypass grafts had 389 infrainguinal reoperative procedures, an average of 1.9 reoperations per patient. Including the initial procedure and subsequent reoperations, a total of 591 operations were performed in this group. Secondary bypass was performed in 101 patients, a tertiary procedure in 51, a fourth bypass in 30, and more than four operations were required in 20 patients. Reoperation was performed to treat severe ischemia (rest pain, ulceration, or gangrene) in 377 of 389 cases (97%). Repetitive bypass was performed with autogenous vein in 21 cases (7.4%), composite grafts in 16 patients (5.6%), and polytetrafluoroethylene in 247 cases (87%). The remaining 105 reoperations were thrombectomy in 77 cases, thrombectomy plus distal angioplasty in 20 cases, and profundaplasty in eight cases. The distal anastomosis was to the popliteal artery in 14% of reoperative cases and to the tibial or peroneal artery in 59%. Mean follow-up for all patients was 70 months. Four operative deaths occurred in 389 reoperations (1.0%), and there were 35 late deaths. The cumulative life-table 5-year survival rate for all patients was 80%. The operative morbidity rate was 12.3%, including wound infection in 3.1% and hematoma in 6.4%. Sixty-seven cases required major amputation, below-knee in 48 (72%) and above-knee in 19 (28%). The 5-year limb salvage rate was 59%. Cumulative graft patency was 37% at 5 years. The 80% 5-year survival rate may reflect aggressive management of associated carotid and coronary artery disease. The demonstrated long survival indicates that recurrent ischemia after distal bypass failure requires attention. In this study, reoperation provided long-term limb salvage in most cases without significant compromise in patient safety or amputation level if amputation was required.

The reoperative potential of infrainguinal bypass: Long-term limb and patient survival

The present study reviews the fate of patients undergoing reoperation after failure of infrainguinal bypass grafts. During a 10-year period, 202 patients with failed distal bypass grafts had 389 infrainguinal reoperative procedures, an average of 1.9 reoperations per patient. Including the initial procedure and subsequent reoperations, a total of 591 operations were performed in this group. Secondary bypass was performed in 101 patients, a tertiary procedure in 51, a fourth bypass in 30, and more than four operations were required in 20 patients. Reoperation was performed to treat severe ischemia (rest pain, ulceration, or gangrene) in 377 of 389 cases (97%). Repetitive bypass was performed with autogenous vein in 21 cases (7.4%), composite grafts in 16 patients (5.6%), and polytetrafluoroethylene in 247 cases (87%). The remaining 105 reoperations were thrombectomy in 77 cases, thrombectomy plus distal angioplasty in 20 cases, and profundaplasty in eight cases. The distal anastomosis was to the popliteal artery in 14% of reoperative cases and to the tibial or peroneal artery in 59%. Mean follow-up for all patients was 70 months. Four operative deaths occurred in 389 reoperations (1.0%), and there were 35 late deaths. The cumulative life-table 5-year survival rate for all patients was 80%. The operative morbidity rate was 12.3%, including wound infection in 3.1% and hematoma in 6.4%. Sixty-seven cases required major amputation, below-knee in 48 (72%) and above-knee in 19 (28%). The 5-year limb salvage rate was 59%. Cumulative graft patency was 37% at 5 years. The 80% 5-year survival rate may reflect aggressive management of associated carotid and coronary artery disease. The demonstrated long survival indicates that recurrent ischemia after distal bypass failure requires attention. In this study, re-operation provided long-term limb salvage in most cases without significant compromise in patient safety or amputation level if amputation was required.

Results of revascularization and amputation in severe lower extremity ischemia: a five-year clinical experience.

Aggressive revascularization of the ischemic lower extremity in atherosclerotic occlusive disease by femoropopliteal (FP) and femorotibial (FT) bypass or profundaplasty (P), as indicated, has been advocated by some authors for all patients. Others have recommended primary amputation, particularly for tibial occlusive disease. To clarify this clinical dilemma, we reviewed the results of 547 procedures performed during the last 5 years: revascularization in 375 (69%) instances and below-knee amputation (BKA) in 172 (31%) cases. Bypass procedures were used in 246 cases: FP in 155 (64%) and FT in 91 (37%). Reversed autogenous saphenous vein (ASV) was used preferentially in 125 (51%) cases, whereas polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) was used in 121 (49%) cases. P was performed in 129 instances accompanied by inflow procedures in 92 (71%) of these cases. Cumulative limb salvage (LS) exceeded bypass patency in all categories and resulted in 2- and 5-year LS rates of 83% and 81% for FP with the use of ASV and 52% and 35% for PTFE. The LS rate for FT was 53% and 47%, respectively, for ASV and 20% and 15% for PTFE. Rest pain was successfully relieved by P in 99 cases (77%), whereas healing occurred in only 51% of cases with tissue loss. The perioperative mortality rate for revascularization was 3%; 42% of the group died during follow-up, death usually resulting from complications of atherosclerosis. Of the 172 BKAs, primary healing occurred in 80%, but the perioperative mortality rate was 13%. FP and FT bypasses are preferred procedures if ASV is available, whereas use of PTFE should be limited to FP bypasses only. Rest pain is relieved by P but tissue loss should prompt consideration for bypass. BKA should be considered in cases of severe tibial disease only in the absence of a suitable ASV, as the perioperative mortality rate is high and ultimate rehabilitation (64%) is limited.