Popliteal and Tibial Artery Bypasses for Limb Salvage

This is a report on personal experiences with 549 cases of popliteal and tibial artery revascularization. There were 204 cases of femoral-popliteal artery by-pass procedures utilizing vein grafts. In 193 cases, this procedure was done with autogenous greater saphenous vein grafts. The remainder of the cases consisted of arm veins, bank veins and superficial femoral veins. There were 149 femoral-tibial or popliteal-tibial artery bypasses utilizing vein grafts or composite grafts. In 83 cases, tibial artery bypasses were done with autogenous greater saphenous vein grafts. In 30 cases, popliteal-tibial artery bypasses were done with autoge-nous greater saphenous vein grafts. In 25 cases, femoral-popliteal-tibial artery sequential bypasses were done with autogenous greater saphenous vein grafts. The remainder were arm veins and composite grafts with arm vein, leg vein and graft materials. In 178 cases, femoral-popliteal or tibial artery bypasses were done with PTFE grafts. Of these cases, 157 femoral-popliteal bypasses were done with PTFE. Femoral-tibial artery bypasses were done with PTFE in 2