Polish vascular prostheses.

Vascular prostheses have been manufactured in Poland since 1960. Double velour crimped tube and bifurcation prostheses are currently available under the Trade Mark Dallon. The Authors present and discuss 812 grafting procedures for the aorto-iliac occlusive disease with the use of 457 Polish and 355 foreign-made vascular prostheses. Wound infection occurred in 7% of the patients with implanted Polish prostheses and in 6.8% of the patients with implanted foreign-made vascular grafts. The acute thrombosis of the operated artery was similarly frequent in case of Polish and foreign-made prostheses implantation, 7% and 6.8% respectively. Haemorrhagic complications were more frequent in patients with implanted Polish prostheses (1.7%) than those with foreign-made vascular grafts (0.8%). Early results of the grafting procedures (6-month follow-up) were nearly the same in both groups and the results reported in the available literature. The Authors conclude that the Polish knitted vascular prostheses have properties similar to the foreign-made ones.