Open AccessEffect of External Pressure on Axillofemoral Bypass Grafts
Author(s) -
Mark V. Jarowenko,
Dale Buchbinder,
Dhiraj M. Shah
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
annals of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.153
H-Index - 309
eISSN - 1528-1140
pISSN - 0003-4932
DOI - 10.1097/00000658-198103000-00004
Subject(s) - medicine , pulsatile flow , thrombosis , surgery , ankle , compression (physics) , cardiology , materials science , composite material
External compression of axillofemoral grafts has been suggested many times as a cause for graft thrombosis. Thrombosis during sleep is the most common presentation of axillofemoral graft failure. Therefore, external compression of the graft by the body weight has been implicated in graft thrombosis. Six consecutive patients with axillofemoral bypass grafts for aortoiliac disease were studied on routine clinic visits. Pulsatile flow characteristics were studied by pulse volume recordings (PVR) and segmental Doppler pressure measurements in calf and ankle, prior to and during attempted graft compression, by having the patient lay on the graft. External compression by body weight did not alter the PVR and segmental Doppler pressure (P = NS) in the distal circulation. Therefore, these data suggest that external compression by the body weight may not be the primary cause of graft failure.