Results of lower limb revascularization from the descending thoracic aorta

The aim of this retrospective study was to substantiate our results of lower limb revascularizations from the descending thoracic aorta. From November 1984 to November 1994, we used bypass grafting from the descending thoracic aorta to revascularize 69 lower limbs in 36 patients, 34 men and 2 women, whose mean age was 61.8 years. Patients were divided into two groups. Group I (primary indications) included 10 patients who had not had any prior lower limb arterial reconstruction. Group II (secondary indications) consisted of 26 patients who had had a prior arterial reconstruction that was either occluded or complicated. There were three early graft occlusions, all of them successfully treated. Complete flaccid, paraplegia occurred in one patient. Five patients presented with one or several late graft occlusions. Two patients had to undergo below-knee amputation, bilateral in one patient. Routine late control of the repair was performed by CT scanning, at a mean interval of 50.8 months. The good results recorded for bypasses revascularizing lower limbs from the descending thoracic aorta make this technique a satisfactory alternative when the abdominal aorta cannot be used.