Arm veins for peripheral arterial reconstruction
K. R. Clayson, W. H. Edwards, T. R. Allen and A. Dale
The ipsilateral saphenous vein has become accepted as the best available
material for femoropopliteal bypass and for arterial patch grafts as well
as for visceral and cardiac bypasses. However, in a few patients,
nonavailability or nonsuitability of the saphenous vein forces use of some
other material. We report an experience with 32 operations using arm veins.
Among the 11 long vein grafts, seven composite vein-Dacron or vein-vein
grafts, and 14 vein patch grafts during the past six years, there were no
infections or aneurysms and only nine thrombotic failures have been
detected to date, to our knowledge. Our present indications are (1)
ipsilateral saphenous vein is not available or is not suitable, (2) only a
short graft or patch is needed and the saphenous vein may therefore be
saved for the future, (3) to join to a saphenous graft or to a Dacron
composite graft for additional length, and (4) to reconstruct an arm
artery. Our experiences using cephalic and basilic veins confirms them as a
useful source of autogenous material for arterial reconstruction.
