Method for cryopreserving human arteries: 1H NMR spectroscopy for measuring the kinetics of permeation and ice-forming tendency of cryoprotective agents.
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From October 1988 to March 1995, we operated 22 patients for fistulization between the prosthesis and the digestive tract to remove the in situ allograft. The delay between the initial operation and treatment for fistulization was 7.3 +/- 4 years. In these patients who had undergone multiple operations (2.5 +/- 1.9 operations per patient), the infected prosthesis was made of Dacron in 21 cases and polytetrafluoroethylene in one. The procedure was planned beforehand in 21 cases who benefited from a complete preoperative work-up and was required in an emergency situation in 6 for digestive bleeding (5 cases) or an abscess of the Scarpa (1 case). Among the patients with an emergency operation, three of the procedures were conducted within a single operative time and three with two separate procedures. The allografts were aorto-aortic tubes (n = 3), aortobifemoral bypasses (n = 14), aorto-iliac bypasses (n = 4) and one aorto-femoral-iliac bypass. Organ revascularization was associated in 8 patients. Seven patients (32%) died post-operatively. Five of them had undergone an emergency procedure. An amputation was required in 2 patients, one at the time the allograft was implanted and the second due to ischaemia despite a permeable allograft. None of the patients had to be amputated due to failure of the allograft. Mean follow-up was 36.6 +/- 20 months. There were 4 deaths post-operatively due to digestive bleeding in 2. The aortic allograft was dilated in 4 patients without re-operation. Thrombosis of the allograft branch occurred in 4 patients, including 3 who had been re-operated successfully. Despite these still perfectable results, treatment of secondary digestive-prosthesis fistulae with an in situ allograft constitutes a real progress in terms of patient survival and preservation of the limb in high-risk patients.
Thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysmectomy ranks among the major cardiovascular surgical procedures. During the last two decades perioperative results have improved to the point that surgery should be discussed in the vast majority of patients seen with a thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm. This progress is largely attributable to a variety of technical improvements including: aortic reconstruction using the graft inclusion technique, usually with direct reattachment of aortic branches to the prosthetic graft; distal aortic perfusion; selective use of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest in anatomically complex situations; preoperative visualization of arterial blood supply to the spinal cord using selective arteriography of intercostal and lumbar arteries. Current perioperative mortality is around 10% whereas the spinal cord complication rate is between 5% and 20% according to clinical and anatomical conditions. Future efforts should concentrate on the prevention of spinal cord complications.
From January 1979 to December 1993, of 2723 carotid revascularizations performed on our service, 168 (6.2%) were isolated carotid eversion endarterectomies (CEEs) for atherosclerotic occlusive disease. Since 10 of these procedures were bilateral, there were 158 patients total (88 men and 70 women). Twenty-six (16.5%) had diabetes, 54 (34.2%) had coronary disease, and 107 (67.7%) had hypertension. The mean age was 68.9 +/- 8.9 years (range 38 and 85 years). Preoperative ischemic symptoms were hemispheric in 93 (55.4%) patients, retinal in 31 (18.4%), and vertebrobasilar in 37 (22%). They consisted of one or more strokes in 44 (26.2%) patients and one or more transient ischemic attacks in 99 (58.9%); 25 (14.9%) patients were asymptomatic. The operated lesion contained atherosclerotic stenotic plaque in all cases. The lesion was tightly stenotic (> 75%) and hemodynamically significant in 93 (55.4%) cases and irregular or ulcerated in all others. In 86 (51.2%) patients a coil or kink of the distal internal carotid artery was also present. The contralateral carotid artery was totally occluded in eight (4.7%) patients and tightly stenotic in seven (4.2%). All patients were operated on under deep general anesthesia; they were given systemic heparin and normal blood pressure was maintained. After freeing and cross-clamping of the carotid bifurcation, the end of the common carotid artery or the ostium of the internal carotid artery was sectioned. The section allowed a deep-plane endarterectomy through eversion and excellent control over the endarterectomized surface and its extremities. Since January 1989 completion arteriography has been routinely performed after CEE.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
From January 1979 to December 1991, 92 revascularizations of the V3 segment of the vertebral artery were performed in 91 patients through a direct transposition of this artery into the internal carotid artery (ICA). These cases represented 15.1% of 610 vertebral revascularizations and 38.8% of 280 distal vertebral revascularizations performed during this period at our institution. The sex ratio of this population was 0.59, and the mean age was 59.4 +/- 13.2 years (range 14 to 82 years). Preoperative ischemic symptoms were vertebrobasilar in 87 (94.6%) cases, exclusively hemispheric in one (1.1%), and absent in the remaining four (4.3%). One of these four patients had asymptomatic severe multivessel occlusive disease and three others underwent resection of a spinal tumor involving the vertebral foraminal canal. In 31 (33.7%) cases significant carotid occlusive disease was also present. The distal V3 segment of the artery was directly transposed into the ICA in all cases in this series. In 24 (26.1%) cases the ICA was endarterectomized during the same operation. There were no deaths or strokes in this series but there were two (2.2%) transient ischemic attacks-one vertebrobasilar and the other hemispheric. However, eight (8.7%) transposed vertebral arteries were totally occluded at early follow-up. At 1 month, among the 87 patients with vertebrobasilar insufficiency, 44 (50.6%) were cured, 31 (35.6%) were improved, and 12 (13.8%) remained unchanged. Among the 12 who were unchanged, eight (66.7%) had occlusion or stenosis of the distal transposition at the time of discharge. At 5 years, the primary patency rate in the series was 89.1% +/- 7.2%. At the time of the last follow-up, among the 87 patients with vertebrobasilar insufficiency, 50 (57.5%) were cured, 25 (28.7%) were improved, two (2.3%) had remained unchanged since the operation, two (2.3%) suffered a relapse, and eight (9.2%) exhibited vertebrobasilar symptoms of varying severity and therefore could not be considered improved. Direct transposition of the V3 segment of the vertebral artery into the ICA is a simple, safe, and reliable technique for revascularization of the distal cervical vertebral artery.
PURPOSE: Few articles have dealt specifically with surgical management of innominate artery (IA) atherosclerotic occlusive disease. We herein present our early and long-term results in a large series of patients. METHODS: During a 20-year period (1974 to 1993) we operated on 148 patients with IA atherosclerotic occlusive disease. The mean age was 55.8 +/- 9.4 years. Approach was through a median sternotomy in 135 (91%) patients. Endarterectomy was performed in 32 (22%) patients, whereas 116 (78%) patients underwent bypass. RESULTS: Eight (5.4%) patients died in the perioperative period (four of heart-related causes, two of hemorrhage, one each of pulmonary infection and multiorgan failure). There were five (3.4%) perioperative strokes (three ipsilateral, two contralateral) and three (2.0%) ipsilateral perioperative transient ischemic attacks. Ten (7%) patients were lost to follow-up. Mean follow-up was 77 (2 to 193) months. Thirty-three (24%) patients were monitored 10 or more years. There were 45 (35%) late deaths (19 from cardiovascular-related causes, 15 from cancer, 7 from other known causes, and 4 from unknown causes). Although 11 (8.5%) patients had late neurologic events, only one late stroke occurred in the contralateral hemisphere and no ipsilateral late strokes occurred. Sixteen (11%) patients had late myocardial infarctions, nine of which were lethal. Life-table analysis and perioperative events were used to calculate the probability of survival, which was 77.5% +/- 9.5% and 51.9% +/- 20.8% at 5 and 10 years, respectively, with a 4.4% annual mortality rate. The overall probability of freedom from any neurologic/ocular event was 88.8% +/- 6.2% and 80.4% +/- 11.9% at 5 and 10 years, respectively, with a 1.6% annual occurrence rate. The probability of freedom from ipsilateral neurologic/ocular event was 92.7% +/- 4.8% and 84.0% +/- 11.2% at 5 and 10 years, respectively, with a 1.4% annual occurrence rate. The probability of freedom from ipsilateral stroke was 98.6% +/- 1.9% at 5 and 10 years. The primary patency rate was 98.4% +/- 2.1% and 96.3% +/- 4.7% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. The probability of freedom from reoperation was 95.6% +/- 3.9% and 93.5% +/- 5.9% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical reconstruction of IA atherosclerotic occlusive disease yields acceptable rates of perioperative complications and late mortality and excellent long-term patency and freedom from neurologic events and reoperation.
The natural history of patients suffering from bilateral internal carotid occlusion is poorly known. We report a study of 19 patients presenting such a vascular condition as demonstrated by angiography. In all our cases, cardio-vascular risk factors were frequently found. Smoking was particularly frequent and present in 18 patients (95%). Presenting neurological episodes included either transient ischemic attack (8/19) or stroke (9/19). Associated arterial lesions were diffusely distributed on the other cerebral vessels, frequently involving the extra-cranial part of the vertebral arteries. Collateral circulation feeding the intracranial carotid system mainly, or exclusively, originated from the vertebro-basilar system. Ischemic strokes were frequently detected by cerebral CT scan. They were located in the middle cerebral territory or at the junctions between 2 major cerebral arteries. A radiological aspect of cortical atrophy was noted in 9 patients among 19. Regional cerebral blood flow assessed by Xe133 inhalation was usually normal at rest (16/19), but hyporeactivity to acetazolamide was found in 10 patients among 19. The latter was more frequent in patients suffering from arterial hypertension or diabetes mellitus. Our results confirm that the patients suffering atheromatous bilateral occlusion of the internal carotid arteries may survive with minimal neurological deficits. Collateral circulation is mainly provided by the vertebro-basilar system allowing to frequently maintain normal cerebral blood flow at rest.
PURPOSE: In an attempt to clarify the role of hypothermic circulatory arrest (HCA) in the management of complex aortic aneurysms operated on through the left thoracotomy, our technique of HCA and outcome were reviewed. METHODS: During a 21-month period, 15 (17%) of 87 aneurysms of the descending thoracic or thoracoabdominal aorta were operated on by HCA. Eleven patients had chronic aortic dissections (four type A and seven type B), two patients had atherosclerotic aneurysms, and one each had congenital or infected postoperative aneurysms. The use of HCA was planned before surgery in 14 patients. Indications included proximal aortic disease in 12 patients, making either clamping of the transverse aortic arch unsafe (eight patients) or necessitating replacement of the arch with a graft (four patients). Preoperative decision to use HCA was made in two additional patients, one with a ruptured aneurysm and another patient for spinal cord and visceral protection because of anticipated prolonged ischemia as a result of reoperation. Intraoperative technical difficulties prompted the use of HCA in only one patient. Deep hypothermia (15 degrees to 24 degrees C) was induced through partial cardiopulmonary bypass. Left-sided heart venting was necessary in five patients. Aortic replacement was limited to the descending thoracic aorta in five patients, whereas it involved the thoracoabdominal aorta in 10 patients. Four patients had associated replacement of the aortic arch. RESULTS: Three patients died (one of a ruptured aneurysm) during surgery or early after surgery (two of bleeding and one of left ventricular failure). All other patients awoke neurologically intact, but one patient had delayed onset of paraplegia. Another patient died 4 days after surgery of rupture of the ascending aorta. Eleven patients were perioperative survivors without significant morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: Hypothermic circulatory arrest is a valuable adjunct in the management of complex aortic aneurysms through left-sided thoracotomy. Its results warrant consideration of its selective use for spinal cord/visceral protection.
PURPOSE: Because of the scarcity of large series in the literature, our experience with surgery for aberrant subclavian arteries (aSA) in adults was reviewed. METHODS: During the last 16 years we have surgically treated 33 adult patients with aSA. Twenty-eight patients had a left-sided aortic arch with a right aSA whereas five had a right-sided aortic arch with a left aSA. Eleven patients (group 1) had dysphagia caused by esophageal compression by a nonaneurysmal aSA; five patients (group 2) had ischemic symptoms caused by occlusive disease of a nonaneurysmal aSA; 10 patients (group 3) had aneurysms of the aSA with or without symptoms caused by esophageal compression or arterial thromboembolism; and seven patients (group 4) had an aSA arising from a diseased (usually aneurysmal) thoracic aorta. In all cases the divided aSA was revascularized, most often by direct transposition into the ipsilateral common carotid artery. Nine of the 16 patients in groups 1 and 2 underwent operation with a cervical approach alone. In the remaining seven, the cervical approach was combined with a median sternotomy (six cases) or a left thoracotomy (one case). In the 17 patients in groups 3 and 4, either a cervical approach (two cases), a median sternotomy (four cases), or a two-staged approach combining a supraclavicular incision on the side of the aSA with a posterolateral thoracotomy on the side of the aortic arch (11 cases) was used. Aortic cross-clamping was required in 12 of these patients to perform the transaortic closure of the origin of the aSA with patch angioplasty (three cases), or prosthetic replacement of the descending thoracic aorta (nine cases). Cardiopulmonary bypass was used in six patients (including three with hypothermic circulatory arrest). RESULTS: Four patients, all in groups 3 and 4, died after operation: two of multiorgan failure, one of heart failure, and one of esophageal rupture. Satisfactory clinical and anatomic results were obtained in the remaining 29 patients. CONCLUSIONS: The surgical approach to aSA must be flexible and adapted to the anatomic conditions found. We recommend routine reconstruction of the aSA to avoid ischemic complications in the vertebrobasilar territory or upper extremity. Provision should be made for cardiopulmonary bypass in patients with aneurysm of aSA or associated aortic aneurysm.
Tortuous variants of the carotid or vertebral morphology are apparent on 10 to 43% of angiograms. It is probable that the incidence of these anomalies is lower in the normal population. Rarely, their etiology is congenital explaining the existence of some pediatric cases. The etiology of most cases is acquired and linked with hypertension, atheroma and aging. Basically consisting of an excess of length of the common or the internal carotid artery, the tortuosity may take the form of simple or multiple kinking, coiling or looping. Isolated, these anomalies are asymptomatic in a large majority of the cases. However, hemispheric, vertebrobasilar or ocular ischemic symptoms may be caused by them through a thromboembolic or hemodynamic mechanism. Moreover, given their frequent association with atherosclerotic occlusive lesions, their participation in the production of ischemic symptoms is not easy to determine. Although not yet investigated by prospective randomized studies, symptomatic isolated of kinking or coiling of cerebral arteries are amenable to surgical revascularization in order to prevent stroke or blindness. Besides, the endarterectomy of atherosclerotic occlusive lesions of tortuous carotids requires a technical adaptation.
The aim of the present paper is to present a brief critical analysis of the technical aspects of surgery for atherosclerotic carotid stenoses, including reconstructive techniques, preoperative evaluation of neurologic risk and intraoperative monitoring and cerebral protection. Our present personal protocol is presented.
Between January 1979 and December 1991, 174 of a total of 2304 carotid reconstructions (7.5%) were performed in 166 patients for stenotic coiling or kinking of the internal carotid artery. There was a 1.4 male predominance and the mean age of the patients was 66.3 +/- 9.6 years (range 38 to 91 years). Seventeen patients (9.8%) were asymptomatic, 54 (31%) were symptomatic because of a previous stroke, and 103 (59.2%) had had transient ischemic attacks. The symptoms were hemispheric in 108 (62.1%) cases, ocular in 19 (10.9%), and vertebrobasilar in 30 (17.2%). The stenotic coiling or kinking was isolated in 35 (20.1%) cases and associated with other lesions of the internal carotid artery in 139 (79.9%). These included 119 atherosclerotic stenoses, 14 aneurysms, and six stenotic lesions due to fibromuscular dysplasia. Angioplasty of the carotid bifurcation was performed in 102 (58.6%) patients, associated with endarterectomy in 84 (48.3%) cases and with dilatation of dysplastic lesions in six (3.5%) cases. A bypass graft and resection and anastomosis of the carotid artery were performed in 36 (20.7%) patients each. There were four postoperative deaths (2.3%): two were due to neurologic causes, one to heart disease, and one to complications of an associated surgical procedure. Five patients (2.9%) had postoperative strokes and eight (4.6%) had transient ischemic attacks. At postoperative follow-up investigations four (2.3%) patients had carotid occlusions and 10 (5.7%) had morphologic abnormalities. At 5 years, actuarial survival was 80.97 +/- 8.8%, patency was 96.12 +/- 2.95%, and the ipsilateral stroke-free rate was 93.12 +/- 4.49%. Treatment of stenotic coiling or kinking of the internal carotid artery yields satisfactory results, comparable to those of endarterectomy, for isolated atherosclerotic carotid stenoses and is effective in the prevention of ipsilateral ischemic stroke.
PURPOSE: Dissatisfaction with conventional methods of treatment of infected infrarenal aortic prosthetic grafts and excellent long-term results reported by heart surgeons after allograft replacement for management of infections involving the ascending aorta have prompted us to investigate allograft replacement in the management of arterial infections. METHODS: From October 1988 to April 1992, 43 consecutive patients with infected infrarenal aortic prosthetic grafts underwent in situ replacement with preserved allografts obtained from cadavers as part of a program to retrieve multiorgan transplant tissue. Thirty-four patients had isolated prosthetic infections, whereas nine had aortoenteric fistulas. One patient had a concomitant below-knee amputation for septic arthritis of the ankle as a result of septic emboli. Nineteen patients had nonvascular-associated procedures, including 17 intestinal procedures. RESULTS: Five patients (12%) died after operation: four of general causes and one of rupture of the native aorta as a result of persistent infection. Three patients successfully underwent repeat operation for allograft-related complications (one case each of occlusion, septic rupture, and graft-enteric fistula). All surviving patients were discharged after control angiography showed patent allografts. Two patients were unavailable for follow-up. The other 36 patients have been monitored with serial duplex and computed tomography scanning for a mean follow-up of 13.8 months (range 1 to 42 months). There were four late deaths: three were unrelated to the vascular operation, and one may have been caused by late persistent or recurrent infection. Nine patients (26%) have had pathologic changes in the allograft, with three (9%) requiring repeat operation. There were no early or late postoperative amputations in the entire series. CONCLUSIONS: Although complete protection against persistent or recurrent infection has not been achieved and late deterioration may be expected, in situ allograft replacement seems to be a major advance in the management of infected infrarenal aortic prosthetic grafts.
Ninety-eight patients with aortic infection or aortoenteric fistula were treated by axillobifemoral bypasses and aortic exclusion by 22 surgical teams. Early mortality was 24%. Primary patency at two and five years was 62% and 55%, respectively. Actuarial primary patency at two and five years was 82% and 65%, respectively. The actuarial rate of limb salvage at two and five years was 90% and 82%, respectively. Eight aortic stumps ruptured in less than eight months, postoperatively. Two of these ruptures were treated with success. Infection of the axillobifemoral bypasses was observed in seven cases, six of which were treated successfully. Eight patients had axillary complications, all treated successfully without upper limb sequelae. In eight cases, the axillobifemoral bypass was replaced by a thoracic aortic bypass. Early mortality was higher after emergency operation (30%) than after elective operation (14%). Mortality after cure of primary infection (7%) was lower than after secondary infection (27%). The rate of infection in polytetrafluoroethylene axillobifemoral bypass (3%) was lower than in Dacron axillobifemoral bypass (13%). The rate of occlusion of polytetrafluoroethylene axillobifemoral bypass and Dacron axillobifemoral bypass was identical. The rate of occlusion in ringed reinforced grafts was lower (9%) than in the nonreinforced grafts (22%). The rate of occlusion was significantly higher after ablation of graft for occlusive lesions (38%) than after graft for aneurysms (7.9%) (p less than 0.01).
From January 1980 to December 1989, 92 ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) were operated upon in emergency at our institution. During the same period, 747 AAA were operated in election or in the absence of rupture. The mean age of patients was 72.8 +/- 9.1 (52-95). There were 81 men and 11 women. Etiology of the AAA was common degenerative in all cases except in one case of aortic dissection and one case of infectious aneurysm. 27 (29.3%) patients presented antecedents of bronchopathy, 31 (33.7%) antecedents of hypertension and 36 (39.1%) antecedents of coronary heart disease. All patients were operated upon under general anesthesia, in two (2.1%) cases through a thoraco-abdominal exposure, in one case through a lombotomy, in one case, using exclusion and an extra anatomic bypass and through a midline transperitoneal laparotomy in all 88 (96.9%) other cases. The mean diameter of the AAA was 9 +/- 3.9 (4-25) cm. The rupture was intra-peritoneal in 26 (28.3%) cases, intra caval in 5 (5.4%) cases, intra duodenal in 2 (2.2%) cases and retro peritoneal in all the other 59 (64.1%) cases. The aorta was cross clamped above the renal arteries in 15 (16.3%) cases, under the renal arteries in 48 (52.2%) cases and at both levels in 29 (31.5%) cases. Surgical treatment consisted in an aorto-aortic tubular graft in 45 (48.9%) cases, a bifurcated aortic graft in 32 (34.8%) cases, an exclusion with extra anatomic bypass in one (1%) case and could not be completed before the death of the patient in 14 (15.3%) cases. There were 56 (60.9%) deaths, 27 (29.4%) in the per operative and 29 (31.5%) in the post operative periods after a mean time of 5.7 +/- 9.2 (0-36) days. The cause of the death was hemorrhage in 25 (44.4) cases, cardiac complications in 28 (50%) cases, renal insufficiency in 1 (2%) case, pulmonary complications in 1 (2%) case and septic complications in one (2%) case. During the period of the present study, rupture of an AAA remained, in our institution as in other institutions an often fatal condition. This condition could probably be avoided with a policy of early detection and surgical treatment.
Between 1979 and 1989, 133 carotid artery reconstructions were performed in 130 patients with contralateral internal carotid artery occlusion. These 133 reconstructions represent 7.3% of 1815 revascularizations of the internal carotid artery for atheromatous lesions performed during the same period. There were 113 men (87%) and 17 women (13%) whose mean age was 64.8 years (range 38 to 83 years). Forty-two patients (32%) had coronary artery disease and 77 (59%) were hypertensive. Nineteen patients (14%) were asymptomatic; 16 (12%) had symptoms of isolated vertebrobasilar insufficiency; 19 (14%) had ipsilateral carotid symptoms (on the side of operation); 67 (51%) had contralateral symptoms (on the side of occlusion); and 12 (9%) had bilateral carotid symptoms. All procedures were performed under general anesthesia without the use of a shunt. Nine patients (6.8%) died in the postoperative period (eight of neurologic and one of respiratory causes). Twelve patients (9%) sustained a cerebral vascular accident (eight ipsilateral and four contralateral). Four of these cerebral vascular accidents were diagnosed upon awakening, the remaining eight occurred after an initial uneventful recovery. Combined neurologic mortality and morbidity was 9.8%. Patients with occlusive lesions of the contralateral carotid artery undergoing internal carotid artery reconstruction are at high risk for postoperative cerebral vascular accidents. It is in this group of patients that the various methods of monitoring and cerebral protection should be evaluated.
We have compared the renal effects of ioxitalamate, ioxaglate, and iopamidol in patients with chronic renal failure. Sixty consecutive patients with an estimated creatinine clearance (ECRCl) less than 60 ml/min were randomly assigned to receive either ioxitalamate, iopamidol, or ioxaglate. All patients received 500 cm3 isotonic saline before the procedure. Serum creatinine and ECRCl were estimated before, 1 and 2 or 3 days after the procedure. There was no statistical difference between the three groups with respect to age, sex, weight, renal function, amount of iodine, and type of procedure. Mean serum creatinine and ECRCl remained unchanged after administration of contrast media. No patient had nephrotoxicity or acute oliguria requiring dialysis as a result of the administration of contrast material. The number of patients with an increase in the serum creatinine level greater than 10% from the basal value did not differ in the treatment groups. The maximal increases in serum creatinine were 52 mumol/l (29%) in the ioxitalamate group, 56 mumol/l (18%) in the ioxaglate group, and 57 mumol/l (23%) in the iopamidol group (p = NS). Using a population carefully randomized and matched for renal insufficiency, we could not show any differences in nephrotoxicity between these three contrast agents. Clinically serious renal impairment was uncommon in our study, regardless of the contrast agent used. However, the interpretation of these favorable findings requires a cautionary note. All patients in this study were well hydrated before and after uro-/angiography, and none had a recent renal injury or a treatment with a nephrotoxic agent that would predispose to injury from contrast material.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
From 1980 to 1990, 101 limbs were revascularized at the upper level only in 67 patients, while they presented with associated aortoiliac and femoral obstructive lesions. The symptoms disappeared after aortofemoral revascularization in 94% of the limbs operated on for claudication and 80% of those operated on for critic ischemia. Surgery of the deep femoral artery was associated in 51% of all cases. The average time lapse is 58 months. No complementary revascularization was needed in the cases of claudication. Out of the patients operated on for critic ischemia, upper revascularization was insufficient in 8 cases. Two of the operated patients were cured after secondary downstream revascularization (4%). Three operated patients still presented with intermittent claudication (6%), and 3 were amputed due to acute iliac obstruction seen at an advanced stage. As no reliable predictive test is available, we find it justified to carry out only upper revascularisation in most cases and to decide on the need for secondary downstream extension according to the clinical outcome. However, simultaneous revascularization at both levels is required in case of extensive involvement of the deep femoral artery, such as observed in only 5 of the patients operated during the same period.