The advantages of the great saphenous vein as a femoropopliteal graft. A report on its clinical use.

As a majority of vascular surgeons prefer the autologous saphenous vein as a bypass graft below the inguinal ligament, the need of alternative graft materials or reconstructive techniques is confined to patients with unavailable or unsuitable saphenous veins. The aim of this investigation was to ascertain how often these alternative procedures are necessary. From 1973 to June 1979, the great saphenous vein was used as a femoropopliteal graft without regard to fixed limitations in the diameter and the quality of the vein. During this period, vascular reconstruction was required in 148 limbs due to symptomatic atherosclerotic occlusion of the superficial femoral artery. In 144 of these cases, the ipsilateral (138) or the contralateral (6) great saphenous vein was used for a femoropopliteal bypass reconstruction. Thus, the vein could not be utilized in only 4 of 148 cases (2.7%). As graft patency rate was not subject to the size and quality of the vein and as cumulative patency rates in the 144 grafts were most satisfactory (97.9, 92.0 and 81.9% at 1 month, 1 year and 5 years, respectively), although all these veins were used regardless of their calibre and quality, we conclude that the great saphenous vein can be used more liberally as a graft for femoropopliteal occlusion. In approximately only 3% of patients requiring operation, alternative reconstructive techniques, such as "non-vein" bypass grafts and thrombendarterectomy are needed.