Short-term outcomes and nursing interventions in patients undergoing femoropopliteal bypass: A five-year retrospective study.

BACKGROUND

Femoropopliteal bypass surgery is a standard treatment for peripheral arterial disease, designed to restore blood flow and prevent limb loss. Despite its clinical benefits, the procedure is associated with postoperative complications that may compromise short-term outcomes. Nursing care is critical for detecting and managing complications; however, research specifically addressing nursing interventions in this context remains limited.

AIM: To evaluate the short-term (30-day) outcomes and nursing interventions in patients who underwent femoropopliteal bypass surgery over a five-year period.

METHODS

This retrospective study included patients who underwent femoropopliteal bypass surgery at a university hospital in Turkey between March 14, 2018, and March 14, 2023. Data were collected from medical records regarding primary patency, amputation-free survival, postoperative complications, length of hospital stay, emergency reoperation, unplanned 30-day readmission, and nursing interventions documented during the postoperative period.

RESULTS

Primary patency was achieved in 80.9% of patients, and amputation-free survival in 95.6%. The most frequent complications were emergency reoperation (27.9%), surgical site infection (14.7%), occlusion (10.3%), and need for blood transfusion (10.3%). Patients without primary patency had significantly longer intensive care unit stays compared with those with primary patency (OR 0.38; 95% CI 0.21-0.67; p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Short-term outcomes following femoropopliteal bypass were adversely affected by complications such as occlusion, graft thrombosis, and emergency reoperation. Prolonged hospital and intensive care unit stays were also associated with these complications. While routine nursing assessments and interventions were consistently implemented, patient education on smoking cessation, home exercise programs, and dietary modification was less frequently provided. Strengthening nursing-led education in these areas may enhance postoperative recovery and long-term outcomes.