Direct surgery on the aorto-iliac area. Prostheses--endarterectomy?

Of the 365 surgical techniques performed on the aorto-iliac area in 354 patients, 448 extremities were revascularized by means of the insertion of a prosthesis as a by-pass, and 165 by thromboendarterectomy (TEA), either global or ilio-femoral. The patency rate at five years was 83% for prostheses, and 72% for TEAs, studied as a whole, or 75% for global TEAs, and 60% for ilio-femoral, once they had been individually analysed. The analysis of these results proves that the patency of the ravascularized aorto-iliac area depends more on the associated pathology in the femoro-popliteal distal area, than on the surgical technique that has been applied. There are no significant differences in relation to the early patency or mortality between the three groups, although as regards age, younger patients with fewer risk factors were selected for global TEA operations.