Venous blood flow in the leg after ligation of the femoral vein during cardiac catheterization in young children.

In the period from 1963 to 1973, 143 heart catheterizations were carried out in children under two years of age. In 33 patients, the femoral vein was exposed by cutdown and ligated afterward. Ten of these patients (the other 23 having died in the intervening years) were available for follow-up and the venous outflow of the lower extremities was studied. Nine of the ten patients showed no abnormality, but one patient had developed varicose veins. In this patient, plethysmography showed reduced venous outflow, and phlebography showed narrowing of the common femoral vein at the site of earlier ligation, indicating recanalization. It is concluded that, if the femoral vein must be used, careful dissection is necessary to secure the bifurcation of the femoral vein and avoid ligation of the common femoral vein.