TIBIOPERONEAL BYPASS FOR POPLITEAL ARTERIAL-OCCLUSION

Objective. To clarify the clinical features of chronic arterial occlus ive disease in which the main lesion occurs in the popliteal artery (O PA). Experimental design. This was a retrospective study with a follow -up of 1 to 165 months. Setting, A department of surgery in a universi ty hospital. Patients. Fifty-six patient who underwent tibioperoneal b ypasses: 31 patients with OPA, and 25 with an extensive occlusive lesi on from the femoral to popliteal artery (OFPA). Intervention. All bypa sses were performed using reversed saphenous veins under turniquet isc hemia. Measurements. The background of the patients and the surgical r esults, including long-term patency and postoperative arteriographic f indings. Results, Buerger's disease occurred most commonly in the OPA group (49%) and arteriosclerosis obliterans occurred most commonly in the OFPA group (64%). The S-year primary and secondary cumulative pate ncy rates of the grafts for OPA were 72% and 85% respectively, and wer e comparable with those of OFPA, Arteriographic analyses carried out L n the follow-up period revealed no occlusive progression in the inflow artery. Conclusions. Popliteal-distal bypass is a reliable procedure in selected patients with OPA.