Reconstructive arterial surgery in peripheral obliterative atherosclerosis.

A series of 547 patients (678 extremities) subjected to reconstructive arterial surgery is presented, with a minimum observation period of 2 years. The incidence of associated diseases at the time of operation was high (39%) and accounted for an impressive mortality when the patients were observed for a longer period of time. The main indication for all types of reconstructions was intermittent claudication and the results are in accord with those reported in other larger series. In 244 patients subjected to open thrombendarterectomy the postopertive mortality was 10/244, with 55% of the reconstructions being open after a mean observation period of 76 months. In 158 patients undergoing femoro-popliteal vein bypass procedures, the postoperative mortality was 2/158, with 55% open grafts after a mean observation period of 61 months.