BENEFITS OF ARTERIAL RECONSTRUCTION IN CLAUDICATION

We conducted a midterm follow-up of 150 claudicants who underwent surg ical reconstruction by assessing cumulative patency, survival, and pal liation (graft patency in live patients) rates. Eighty-nine claudicant s (group I) underwent direct (in situ) proximal revascularization, 33 (group II) had indirect (ex situ) proximal revascularization, while 28 (group III) had distal revascularization, The secondary patency rates at 3 years were 97.5% in group I, 97.0% in group II, and 75.0% in gro up III, respectively, Only one patient with limb graft thrombosis requ ired below-knee amputation, There were 3 perioperative deaths (2 in gr oup I and 1 in group II), The survival rates at 3 years were 86.0% in group I, 69.5% in group II, and 95.8% in group III, respectively, The palliation rates at 3 years were 84.8% in group I, 70.0% in group II, and 77.9% in group III, respectively. These findings indicate the midt erm benefits of supra- and infrainguinal arterial reconstructions, and also suggest that the preoperative assessment of risks in individual patients, the selection of the appropriate operative procedure and gra ft material, and intensive postoperative follow-up and management of a ny associated disease are all important aspects in the treatment of cl audicants.