FREQUENCY OF REPEATED VASCULAR-SURGERY - A SURVEY OF 7616 SURGICAL AND ENDOVASCULAR FINNVASC PROCEDURES

Objective: To assess the incidence of repeated vascular surgical opera tions. Design: A population-based cross-sectional survey established o n the Finnvasc registry. Setting: Multicentre, Finland. Material: 7616 vascular procedures consisted of 5201 open vascular operations and 24 15 endovascular interventions done during the two years 1991-92. Main outcome measures: Mortality and number of reoperations and major amput ations. Results: A total of 5409 initial vascular procedurs were done, 770 patients (10%) underwent a new procedure in the same anatomical s egment as previously, and 1437 patients (19%) underwent, a Vascular or endovascular procedure on a new arterial segment excluding the corona ry arteries; these patients had more risk factors than the two other g roups, and were also treated more often for chronic leg ischaemia. Alt ogether 586 reoperations were needed in 487 patients (6%) during a 30- day postoperative period, more often after the initial surgical recons truction than on other occasions. Altogether 126 postoperative below-k nee and 170 above-knee amputations had to be done during the same peri od which corresponded to 14% of the total of 2128 surgical or endovasc ular revascularisations done for acute or chronic critical leg ischaem ia. The risk of perioperative death was higher in patients with acute leg ischaemia undergoing their first vascular intervention than those having repeat operations. Conclusion: Although the present data are cr oss-sectional and might be affected by the recent increase in vascular surgery in Finland they show that almost a third of vascular operatio ns done are repeat procedures.