Treatment of unilateral iliac artery disease by femorofemoral bypass grafting.

Between Jan. 1, 1970 and June 30, 1977, 50 men and 23 women underwent femorofemoral bypass grafting. The average age of the group was 64.7 years. The procedure was performed for disabling claudication in 50 patients and for limb threatening ischemia in 23. Knitted Dacron grafts were used in all but two patients. The operative mortality was 4.1% and the late mortality 21.9%. There were six complications related to the prostheses, three infected grafts and three false aneurysms. Thrombosis of the graft occurred in 15 patients; the graft was successfully revised in 2. The cumulative 5-year patency rate determined by life-table methods was 73.4%. The causes of failure appeared to be well defined and unilateral iliac artery disease. The donor iliac artery, poor runoff through a diseases deep femoral artery on the recipient side and infection of the graft. This study indicates that femoro-femoral bypass has a definite place in the management of patients with unilateral iliac artery disease. The procedure can be performed on selected patients with a low operative mortality and an acceptable patency rate.