Comparison of iliofemoral and femorofemoral crossover bypass in the treatment of unilateral iliac arterial occlusive disease.

Between 1981 and 1988, 74 synthetic crossover bypass grafts were inserted for unilateral iliac arterial occlusive disease. In 32 patients the bypass procedure was iliofemoral and in 42 femorofemoral. The cumulative patency rate at a mean of 2.7 years was 79 per cent in both groups. There was no significant difference in either postoperative mortality rate or duration of hospital stay. Iliofemoral bypass may offer significant advantages over the femorofemoral approach. In particular it avoids a groin incision in the donor limb, leaving the common femoral artery intact for subsequent angioplasty or reconstruction should proximal stenotic disease develop in the donor iliac vessel.