Late mortality and morbidity after arterial reconstruction: The influence of arteriosclerosis in popliteal artery trifurcation

Mortality and the incidence of myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular lesion have been retrospectively analyzed in patients who have survived 30 days after lower limb vascular reconstruction. These events have been related to the extent of arteriosclerotic lesions in the trifurcation of the popliteal artery (trifurcational disease, TFD) in 368 patients treated consecutively. One hundred fifty-five patients underwent aortoiliac reconstruction, 229 had femorodistal bypass, and 16 underwent both procedures. The median follow-up period was 4.4 years. The mortality rate in male and female patients was increased compared with the expected mortality. This increase was found both in patients with and without TFD. In patients having TFD the mortality was 2.0 times higher than in patients who did not have TFD (p < 0.001). The difference in the mortality rate persisted after correction for the influence of age, sex, and diabetes mellitus. The higher mortality rate in patients who had TFD was most marked early in the postoperative period and was mainly caused by myocardial infarction. The incidence of myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular events was significantly increased in patients who had TFD compared with those who did not, particularly in the early postoperative period.