Efficacy and safety of iliofemoral bypass using arm veins as an alternative conduit for chronic limb-threatening ischemia.

Objective: The use of basilic vein in iliofemoral revascularizations was previously described in the literature as an autologous option for the treatment of vascular prosthesis infection and as a primary conduit in patients at high risk of infectious surgical complications. However, the publications available include several different indications and are limited to case reports. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of the use of arm veins as a safe and effective autologous alternative for iliofemoral reconstruction in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) and at high risk of prosthesis infection.

Methods: We performed a multicenter, retrospective cohort study with 53 consecutive iliofemoral bypasses using arm veins as an alternative conduit. The procedures were performed between November 2013 and November 2021, exclusively for patients with CLTI classified as TASC aortoiliac C or D with increased risk of postoperative surgical infection. Demographic, clinical variables, and outcomes were collected from a prospective database. Main endpoints were amputation-free survival (AFS) and major adverse cardiovascular events. Secondary endpoints included primary and secondary patencies and overall survival. Cox regression analysis was used to identify the predictors of AFS. Postoperative surgical complications and 30-day mortality were also assessed.

Results: The mean age was 64.2 ± 8.4 years, with a predominance of male gender. The median follow-up period was 615 days. All patients had CLTI, with a predominance of tissue loss (n = 51; 96.2%) and a median ankle-brachial index of 0.28. The basilic vein was utilized in most procedures (69.8%). Thirty-day major adverse cardiovascular events occurred in five cases (9.4%), and the 30-day mortality rate was 3.8%. The AFS, primary patency, secondary patency, and overall survival in 720 days were 71%, 72%, 89%, and 75%, respectively. Cox regression analysis revealed no association between the variables analyzed for AFS. There was no graft late infection nor pseudoaneurysmal degeneration.

Conclusions: Iliofemoral bypass using arm veins as an autologous conduit proved to be an effective and safe procedure with low incidence of postoperative cardiovascular complications and high rates of AFS in patients with CLTI. Also, this suggests that arm veins can be an interesting and suitable autologous alternative conduit for iliofemoral reconstructions, especially in cases in which a prosthesis should be avoided or when it is not available.