Lower limb revascularization for PAD using a heparin-coated PTFE conduit

Area of Science:

• Vascular Surgery
• Biomaterials Science
• Medical Device Technology

Background:

• Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) significantly impacts lower extremity health.
• Bypass grafting is a critical intervention for limb salvage in severe PVD.
• Evaluating prosthetic graft performance is essential for optimizing surgical outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the long-term patency of the PROPATEN Vascular Graft in lower extremity bypass procedures.
• To determine the efficacy of the PROPATEN Graft in achieving limb salvage.
• To identify factors associated with graft failure in this patient population.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 68 PROPATEN Graft lower extremity bypasses (2007-2009).
• Analysis of patient demographics, comorbidities (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, CAD, smoking), and Rutherford category.
• Kaplan-Meier survival analysis to evaluate primary patency and limb salvage rates.

Main Results:

• Excellent patency observed across all arterial positions.
• Primary patency rates of 94.0% at 30 days and 86.0% at 18 months.
• Limb salvage rates of 95% at 30 days and 90% at 18 months; no cases of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia (HIT).

Conclusions:

• The GORE PROPATEN Vascular Graft demonstrates robust and durable patency in lower extremity bypasses.
• The graft shows significant potential as a preferred conduit for prosthetic bypass surgery.
• Graft failure was associated with severe PVD, poor runoff, and compromised inflow.