Analysis of 274 Omniflow Vascular Prostheses implanted over an eight-year period.

Background: Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), dacron, and, more recently, collagen prostheses are finding increasing use for femoropopliteal reconstruction when a suitable vein is not available. The main factors to be considered when choosing a prosthesis are patency, susceptibility to infection and formation of aneurysms.

Methods: Sheep collagen prostheses were implanted on 274 occasions in the femoropopliteal or crural regions.

Results: The patency rate for supragenual bypass after 3 years was 61.9% with good vascular periphery and 44% with poor vascular periphery. If the prosthesis extended below the knee, the patency rate was 55.4% with good and 35.3% with unfavourable vascular periphery. Patency for the femorocrural bypass was 28.7% after 2 years. The rate of infection was 0% and an aneurysm occurred in three patients (1.1%).

Conclusions: With this low infection rate and very slight danger of aneurysm, the long-term results suggest that the ovine collagen prosthesis can be recommended for use when no suitable vein is available.