[Late results after below-knee revascularization of the popliteal artery with thin-wall InterGard vascular...

We report on our clinical experience with a knitted Dacron prosthesis: thin-walled, spirally reinforced InterGard prosthesis. Between 1993 and 1996, 81 prostheses were implanted in 72 patients with an infrainguinal connection. We describe the special features of the prosthesis. The entire group of patients was analyzed. Indications for operation were disabling claudication in 42 cases (51.8%) and critical limb ischemia in 39 (48.0%) cases. The angiographic run-off was poor in 71 (87.9%) implantations. The perioperative mortality rate was 1.2% (1 patient). The primary cumulative patency rate calculated by the life-table method was 70% at 69 months. Our results suggest that PTFE offers no clear advantage over Dacron and the preferential use of PTFE needs to be reassessed.