[Autologous venous bypass in the therapy of arterial occlusive disease of the femoropopliteal area: long-term results].

The outcome of 532 femoro-popliteal vein grafts performed electively during the years 1970 to 1985 for obliterative arterial disease, was analyzed using the documentation-system of the Austrian Society for Vascular Surgery, as well as SAS and BMDP-software on an IBM 4381 computer of the Medical Faculty. The probability of function was estimated according to the Kaplan-Meier method, statistical differences were checked with Breslow's and Mantel's test, the proportional hazards regression model (Cox) was used to elucidate the influence of different risk factors on each own and in combination of each other. In the univariate analysis, the preoperative clinical status was found to be of prognostic significance, but technical details such as intraoperative as well as postoperative arteriography or site of the distal anastomosis were not important. A postoperative coumarine treatment had no demonstrable impact on graft function, but positively influenced the probability of patient survival. Taking into account the factors found to be of significance in the univariate analysis (e.g. set of factors: site of distal anastomosis, diabetic state and smoking habits) were analyzed using the proportional hazards regression model but were found of no major influence. The factors preoperative clinical status, patients age, and coumarine therapy significantly influenced the probability of patient survival, but diabetes mellitus and smoking were found to be not important.