[Femoro-crural bypass--orthotopic]

From 1980 to 1988 248 femoro-distal bypass procedures were performed in anatomical position for limb salvage due to peripheral artery disease. Bypass material strongly influenced bypass patency rate. The analysis showed a highly significant difference between venous and prosthetic grafts over a period of 3 years (p less than 0.0001). Use of the composite jump craft technique increased patency rates after 3 years to 58%, which is close to that of vein bypasses (63%). Use of prosthetic bypass material alone achieved a patency rate of only 38%. It is concluded that technically more difficult procedures such as the composite jump graft technique are superior to prosthetic bypasses.