Crural artery bypass with adjunctive arteriovenous fistula. A modification in distal anastomosis

We carried out crural artery bypass with an adjunctive arteriovenous fistula in 8 lower extremities of 7 patients with severe ischemic symptoms and poor distal run-off. Mean blood flow rates in the implanted grafts ranged from 43 to 340 ml/min and those of the reconstructed crural arteries from 20 to 100 ml/min. A stenotic lesion was noted on postoperative angiogram in one patient and stasis symptoms caused by downward blood flow into the distal veins in another. The other patients have remained well with good function of the grafts 1-5 years after surgery. We modified the distal corner of the anastomosis as follows: three additional interrupted simple sutures were made on the anterior wall of the concomitant arteriotomy and venotomy incisions after making the common posterior wall of the vessel incisions. A vascular pocket formed at the distal corner of the anastomosis prevents stricture at the anastomosis. The vein is finally ligated just distal to the fistula to intercept downward blood flow into the distal veins. This modification in technique is recommended to prevent stricture of the distal anastomosis and postoperative stasis symptoms.