Early experience utilizing the in situ saphenous vein technique in 54 patients.

We have compared our early and late experience utilizing in situ saphenous vein bypass graft for lower extremity arterial occlusive disease in 54 patients who underwent in situ femoral to popliteal and distal bypass grafts between July of 1983 and February 1985. There were 3 femoral to above-knee popliteal bypasses, 27 femoral to below-knee popliteal bypass grafts, 12 femoral to anterior tibial dorsalis pedis bypass grafts, 10 femoral to posterior tibial bypass grafts and 2 femoral to peroneal in situ bypass grafts. The operative indications were progressive disabling claudication in 8 (15%) and limb salvage in 46 (85%). Eighty-nine percent of the limb salvage patients had 0-1 vessel runoff by arteriogram. Cumulative life table patency of the 54 in situ bypass grafts was 79% at 20 months. One hundred percent of the patients who were operated on for disabling claudication had patent grafts at 20 months. Seventy-eight percent of the limb salvage patients had patent grafts. Fourteen of the limb salvage patients required amputation and of these 14, 10 had patent grafts at the time of amputation. There were 8 deaths in the series. Our results demonstrate that a definite learning curve exists with this technique, however, once established, long-term patency and improved limb salvage statistics can be obtained.