Surgically Created Arteriovenous Fistula to Augment the Cephalic Vein: Use as an Arterial Bypass Graft

Abstract

AUTOGENOUS vein grafts are widely accepted as the most satisfactory material for bypassing arterial occlusive disease in the femoropopliteal segment. If the patient does not have a suitable greater saphenous vein because of small diameter, previous stripping or prior use as a bypass graft, the surgeon is hard pressed to find an acceptable substitute.Use of the cephalic vein as a peripheral vascular graft has been proposed by Kakkar.¹ The cephalic veins that he studied were found to be of adequate length, diameter and tensile strength to be used as arterial substitutes in the leg.In conjunction with a hemodialysis . . .