Abstract
Between July 2000 and December 2005, the long-term results of 98 patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans who underwent 105 femoro-above-knee popliteal bypasses, 11 femoro-below-knee popliteal bypasses and 9 other bypasses using precuffed expanded polytetrafluoroethylene grafts (DistafloTM) were examined. Anastomotic bleeding occurred in one patient, graft infection occurred in two and myonephropathic metabolic syndrome occurred in two after operation.
The primary patency rates were 88% and 88% at 3 and 5 years in the femoro-above knee popliteal bypass group, and 64% and 64% in the femoro-below knee popliteal bypass group, respectively. The long-term results with DistafloTM graft implantation were favorable.
Even if anastomotic myointimal hyperplasia should occur, significant stenosis will not occur at the anastomotic sites because the DistafloTM graft is a graft of cuff configuration. Improvement of late results may be expected with the use of this graft. The results from a randomized control trial are required before more definitive conclusions can be made.
