Extra-anatomic bypass grafting for vascular occlusive disease in upper and lower extremities

Twenty-four patients with poor risk factors underwent an extra-anatomic bypass operation for aortoiliac occlusive disease and subclavian steal syndrome. A femoro-femoral bypass was performed on 5 patients, an axillo-femoral bypass on 15, a subclavian-subclavian bypass on 2 and an ascending aorta-femoral bypass on 2. There was only one operative death and there were 2 late deaths (8.3%). The patients were 20 males and 4 females with a mean age of 69.3 years. Among risk factors, high age (70 year old) was present in half of the patients, ischemic heart disease in 9, and cerebral vascular disease in 8. Seventy-five percent of the patients were suffering from two or more dysfunctions. During the limited follow-up period from 8 to 94 months (mean 46.1 months) there was a 96% patency rate. We had good results using externally supported ring graft and by the administration of prostaglandin E₁ and ticlopidine during the pre and postoperative period.