ORIGINAL ARTICLE  RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF CRITICAL LIMB ISCHEMIA 

The Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery 2019 December;60(6):686-92

DOI: 10.23736/S0021-9509.19.11110-X

Copyright © 2019 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

The role of infragenicular spliced vein bypass surgery in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia: single center long-term results

Patricia A. van MIERLO, Wouter J. BEKKERS, Freek R. van 't LAND, Arjen G. van MIERLO, André A. de SMET, Bram FIOOLE ✉

Department of Vascular Surgery, Maasstad Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

BACKGROUND: In patients requiring infrageniculate surgical revascularization a single-segment great saphenous vein (SS-GSV) is the optimal conduit. In the absence of a SS-GSV, the small saphenous vein and arm veins can also be used to obtain an all-autologous bypass. The aim of this study was to compare the long-term results of infrageniculate SS-GSV bypasses and spliced vein bypasses in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI).
METHODS: A total of 308 consecutive CLTI patients who underwent a primary infragenicular, autologous bypass between January 2000 and December 2016 were included. The definition of a spliced vein bypass was a graft consisting of at least two venous segments.
RESULTS: A SS-GSV graft was used in 235 patients, and a spliced vein graft was used in 73 patients. Significantly more infrapopliteal bypasses were performed in the spliced vein group (P=0.024), and in this group the mean operation time was almost 60 minutes longer (P<0.001). The overall morbidity rate was 44%. The overall 30-day mortality was 3.2%, and overall in-hospital mortality was 4.9%. No significant differences were observed between the groups in mortality, overall morbidity or any specific complication. Comparing the SS-GSV group with the spliced vein group, no significant differences were observed between overall survival (53.2% vs. 45.7%), primary patency (55.5% vs. 53.2%), assisted primary patency (78.5% vs. 76.5%), secondary patency (87.9% vs. 90.6%) and limb salvage (83.3% vs. 82.0%).
CONCLUSIONS: The use of infrageniculate spliced vein bypasses for the treatment of CLTI patients results in similar results compared with infrageniculate SS-GSV bypass grafts. A strict surveillance protocol in the first 2 years and a liberal reintervention strategy may result in excellent long-term patency rates.

KEY WORDS: Limb salvage; Saphenous vein; Coronary artery bypass