AXILLOFEMORAL BYPASS - CRITICAL REAPPRAISAL OF ITS ROLE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF AORTOILIAC OCCLUSIVE DISEASE

Two hundred twenty-four consecutive patients (361 graft limbs) who underwent bypass grafting with the USCI Sauvage filamentous velour Dacron arterial prosthesis for aortoiliac occlusive disease over the 9 year period 1970 to 1979 are reviewed. Eighty-four axillofemoral (23 per cent of patients), 210 aortofemoral (47 per cent of patients), and 67 femorofemoral grafts (30 per cent of patients) had cumulative patency rates of 72.1, 91.1, and 86.4 per cent, respectively. Experimental and clinical factors influencing the patency of axillofemoral grafts are discussed, and the concept of an improved porous Dacron prosthesis specific for the axillofemoral site is presented. © 1979.