Femorofemoral bypass: a profile of graft failure

We have reviewed our experience with 71 patients who had a femorofemoral bypass for unilateral iliac artery occlusion or stenosis. We analyzed morbidity, mortality, initial relief of symptoms, early patency, and long-term primary and secondary patency; and we attempted to identify the cause of graft failure. The overall hospital mortality after operative repair was 4%. One-year survival was 84% and 2-year survival was 81%. Early patency was 98.5% at 1 month, late patency was 91% at 1 year and 82% at 5 years. The major cause of graft failure was inadequate run-off and outflow disease progression.