A new surgical approach to extensive arterial occlusion of lower extremity--femoro-popliteal open endarterectomy with arteriovenous shunt.

A revascularized surgery for extensive arterial occlusive lesions of the lower extremities, namely open endarterectomy of the occluded femoro-popliteal artery with arteriovenous shunt, was devised. The procedure is specially indicated to the extensive arterial occlusion of the lower extremity for which the conventional reconstructive vascular surgery is not applicable. The patency of the reconstructed femoro-popliteal arteries are ensured by virture of an arteriovenous shunt and newly developed collaterals from the reopened genicular network is expected to provide effective blood flow to peripheral parts. From 1967 to 1975, this procedure was applied to 59 extremities in 53 patients, all of whom had extensive arterial occlusion from the femoral artery to the periphery with impending ulcer and severe rest pain. Fourty-five out of 59 extremities had remarkable improvement of the ischemic symptoms and signs at the time of discharge. Long-term effectiveness was shown in 34 out of 59 extremities or 58 per cent.