Abstract
A prospective, randomized clinical trial to study the effect of aspirin on late patency of femoral popliteal and tibial bypass grafts is reported. One hundred limbs in 93 patients were randomized to receive daily 650 mgs aspirin postoper atively (ASA, n=45) or no aspirin (NASA, n=55). Indication for surgery was limb salvage in 88% and poor runoff (0-1 vessel) was present in 68%. Graft material consisted of autogenous vein (AV) in 63, expanded PTFE in 82 and composite grafts in five limbs. Distal anastomosis was to the popliteal artery in 72 limbs, tibial vessels in 19 and sequential in nine limbs. Patient followup ranged from 1-51 months (mean 12.97).