OBJECTIVE: Our results of extraanatomic bypass surgery in the last 5 years should be analysed in a retrospective study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 66 extraanatomic reconstructions were performed in 65 patients (52 male, 13 female). Femoro-femoral bypasses (78.8 %) were mainly included in this study, followed by axillo-femoral (bifemoral) and obturator bypasses. The procedures could be divided in 45 (68.2 %) primary and 21 (31.8 %) recurrent operations. 57.6 % of the patients revealed a critical lower limb ischemia. RESULTS: The bypass patency rates were 97 % after one year and 81.1 % after 3 years. 24.2 % of the patients showed immediate postoperative complications, 12.1 % of them major complications (surgical and nonsurgical). No patient died postoperatively or in the first year after operation. The 3-year mortality rate ranged to 10.8 %. Major amputations had to be carried out in 4 patients (6.1 %) during the first year and in one patient later on, so that the total amputation rate amounted to 7.6 %. CONCLUSIONS: Our results prove extraanatomic reconstructions to be a valuable surgical tool in lower limb ischemia with good long-term success. Extraanatomic bypasses are technically simple procedures in the majority of cases and take good care of the patient with low morbidity and mortality.

Chirurgische Universitatsklinik des Fakultatskrankenhauses in Pilsen

Extraanatomic bypass surgery for peripheral arterial vascular disease--is it still justified?