Purpose: We describe the outcomes of femoro-distal bypass procedures used to treat peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). The aim of this retrospective analysis was to evaluate primary patency and limb salvage at 5 years.
Methods and patients: We retrospectively studied 122 consecutive patients who underwent femoro-distal bypass surgery from 1999 to 2002. Information was collected from clinical charts at S. João Hospital, Porto, Portugal. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to calculate primary patency and limb salvage rates; groups were compared using Cox proportional hazards models.
Results: Five-year cumulative primary patency was 67,1% and limb-salvage rate was 71,1%. Major amputation risk for diabetics was significantly higher - 49% - compared with 18% in non-diabetics patients (p=0,0001). There were trends associating major amputation with women and smokers; there were also trends associating hypertension and in situ saphenous vein bypass with lower risk of major amputation .
Conclusion: Our preliminary results support the view that infrainguinal revascularization can be safely performed, with acceptable five-year cumulative primary patency and major amputation rates. The risk of major amputation, however, is significantly increased in diabetic patients.