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Fluoropolymer coated Dacron or polytetrafluoroethylene for femoropopliteal bypass grafting: a multicentre trial
Author(s) -
Robinson Brett I.,
Fletcher John P.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
anz journal of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.426
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-2197
pISSN - 1445-1433
DOI - 10.1046/j.1445-2197.2003.02653.x
Subject(s) - fluoropolymer , medicine , polytetrafluoroethylene , surgery , anastomosis , claudication , vascular disease , arterial disease , chemistry , organic chemistry , metallurgy , polymer , materials science
Background: This trial was designed to compare graft patency between expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and fluoropolymer coated Dacron for femoropopliteal bypass in patients in whom saphenous vein was unavailable. Methods: A multicentre prospective trial randomized 129 patients (74 men, 55 women) who underwent femoropopliteal bypass using either a PTFE or fluoropolymer coated Dacron graft. The indication for operation was disabling claudication in 68 (52.7%) and critical limb ischaemia in 61 (47.3%) patients. Distal anastomosis was above the knee in 76 (58.9%) and below the knee in 53 (41.1%) patients. Results: Primary patency at 6, 12 and 24 months was 71%, 56% and 47% for PTFE and 50%, 36% and 36% for fluoropolymer coated Dacron ( P = 0.002), respectively. Secondary patency at 6, 12 and 24 months was 77%, 60% and 48% for PTFE and 66%, 49% and 46% for fluoropolymer coated Dacron ( P = 0.13), respectively. The superior primary patency of PTFE over fluoropolymer coated Dacron was most evident in patients with poor prognostic indicators for graft survival: critical limb ischaemia ( P = 0.001); below‐knee anastomosis ( P = 0.01); and smaller (6 mm) diameter grafts ( P = 0.002). Graft thrombosis developed in the first month in 22 of 61 (36%) patients receiving fluoropolymer coated grafts compared to six of 68 (8.8%) patients receiving PTFE, which accounts for the difference in primary patency. Successful thrombectomy in 10 of the 22 fluoropolymer coated grafts resulted in similar secondary patency. Conclusion: Polytetrafluoroethylene has superior primary patency and similar secondary patency to fluoropolymer coated Dacron. These results support the preferential use of PTFE in patients with critical limb ischaemia, especially when a below‐knee distal anastomosis and smaller diameter graft is required.