Femorofemoral crossover grafts for claudication: a safe and reliable procedure.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the role of femorofemoral crossover grafts in patients with disabling claudication.

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

University hospital.

MATERIALS

Two hundred and eleven patients with iliac artery disease undergoing femorofemoral crossover grafts for disabling claudication.

CHIEF OUTCOME MEASURES

Perioperative mortality, follow-up cumulative graft patency, limb loss, survival, graft infection and false aneurysm formation were evaluated to determine the immediate and long-term outcome of the procedure.

MAIN RESULTS

Primary and secondary graft patency at 5 years was 72% and 89% respectively. There were no perioperative deaths (zero 30 day mortality). Dacron was used in 66 patients (31%) and PTFE in 145 (69%). There were no differences in patency between the two graft materials but eight Dacron grafts (12.1%) were removed because of complications (false aneurysm or infection) compared to four PTFE grafts (2.7%) (p < 0.001 Chi-square). Five patients (2%) have undergone a major lower limb amputation. Forty-one patients (19%) have required subsequent inflow procedures which represents a cumulative need for inflow of 5% per year.

CONCLUSIONS

Femorofemoral crossover grafts are a safe and reliable procedure in patients with disabling claudication caused by unilateral iliac artery disease.