Segmental stenosis of saphenous-vein autografts. Preventable cause of late occlusion in arterial reconstruction.

SAPHENOUS-vein femoral popliteal bypass autograft has been demonstrated clinically to be an effective long-term vascular reconstructive procedure in many patients with arteriosclerotic occlusion of the femoral artery in the thigh. Late failures are ascribable to a number of different factors, many of which are not now preventable. During the past year we have observed several patients in whom a segmental stenosis of a portion of the graft endangered the functional integrity of the entire reconstruction. It is impossible to estimate how frequently such segmental stenosis results in late occlusion as compared with generalized progression of proximal or distal disease. However, . . .