Infrapopliteal bypass for severe ischemia: comparison of autogenous vein, composite, and prosthetic grafts.

Results of 253 consecutive bypass grafts to infrapopliteal arteries were reviewed. Most (92%) were placed for rest pain (103) or tissue loss (130). Autogenous veins were used in 175 (69%) cases, composite vein-prosthetic grafts were used in 45 (18%), and prosthetic grafts alone were used in 33 (13%). Follow-up ranged from 0 to 101 months (mean, 19 months); 37 grafts (15%) were lost to follow-up. The operative mortality rate was 4%, and 5-year patient survival rate was 44%. Limb salvage was 82% at 5 years. The 5-year patency of vein grafts (63%) exceeded that of both composite (28%) and prosthetic (7%) grafts (p = 0.005 and p = 0.00007, respectively); but the patency of composite and prosthetic grafts did not differ significantly (p = 0.29). The patency of reversed vein (59%) and in situ vein grafts (74%) was not significantly different at 5 years (p = 0.34). Patency was also not affected by the site of the proximal or distal anastomoses or diabetes. The major determinant of long-term patency in infrapopliteal reconstructions continues to be graft material. Composite grafts offered no clear advantage over prosthetic grafts, and both should be used only when there is no other alternative to amputation.