The effect of body weight compression on axillo-femoral by-pass patency

The influence of external compression on extra-anatomic bypass patency is still debated. The specific purpose of this study is the evaluation of ankle Pressure Index (P.I.) and Pulse Volume Recorder (P.V.R.) wave amplitude changes after 5 and 10 minutes of external bypass compression by body weight, lying on the side of the reconstruction. Eight patients with axillo-femoral bypass (mean follow-up 15.5 months) have been evaluated. The external body weight compression caused important changes of graft haemodynamics: (1) decrease in ankle Pressure Index at 5 min (p less than 0.005) or 10 min (p less than 0.0005); (2) decrease in P.V.R. wave amplitude at 5 min (p less than 0.005) and 10 min (p less than 0.025).