The long-term outcome after axillo-axillary bypass grafting for proximal subclavian artery disease

Objectives: to investigate the outcomes of patients undergoing axillo-axill ary bypass grafting for symptomatic subclavian artery stenoses or occlusion s. Design: retrospective case-note review and prospective review of patients a vailable for follow-up. Patients and methods: sixteen patients had axillary grafts in a 17-year per iod. Ten patients were available for review and assessed clinically, by mea surement of arm blood pressures, and by duplex scanning of their grafts. Results: one patient died and three grafts occluded within 30 days of opera tion. Nine out of 10 grafts scanned were patent, with three further clinica lly patent at death. Overall secondary patency was 75% at a combined median follow-up of 56 months (range 12-204 months). Recurrent symptoms occurred in two patients, one with an occluded graft and one with a patent graft. Conclusion: axillo-axillary bypass grafts give good long-term symptom-free results.