[Infra-inguinal arterial reconstruction: in situ or reversed venous bypass?]

Since 1984 one of our surgeons treated 154 patients for infrainguinal arterial insufficiency. The patients had a mean age of 72 years and suffered from multiple concomitant diseases. The indication for operation consisted in a chronic critical ischemia in every case. 98 reversed (RV) and 56 in situ (IS) vein bypasses had to be implanted. No statistical significant differences could be found concerning survival, graft patency and limb salvage (life table analysis). Nearly half of our patients died during the 5 year observation period. The cumulative 5 year graft patency and limb salvage rate was 86% and 89% in the RV and 80% and 84% in the in situ group.