The relationship between blood-flow and failure of femoropopliteal reconstructive arterial surgery

Abstract

Blood-flow measured at operation in 80 limbs was found to be significantly related to the patency of the reconstruction 12 months later. The incidence of failure was 14 per cent when the flow exceeded 100 ml. per minute and was 54 per cent when the flow was less than this figure. Although blood-flow was significantly lower in patients with obstructed distal arteries, there were wide variations in flow between limbs with similar degrees of obstruction. There was, however, a significant increase in the failure rate with increasing arterial obstruction, and where two or all three of the tibial arteries were obstructed the long-term failure rate was 48 per cent.