• 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 149  (3) , 374-376
Abstract
The physiologic and functional improvement after aortofemoral bypass was quantitatively assessed by preoperative and postoperative noninvasive vascular testing in 2 groups of patients operated upon the claudication alone, those with significant occlusive disease of the lower extremity limited to the aortoiliac segments and those with combined disease of both the aortoiliac and superficial femoral arteries. While there is a statistically significant increase in segmental pressures and exercise times after aortofemoral bypass in the group with combined disease, these objective hemodynamic parameters are far from normal and are statistically significantly lower than values obtained in the group of patients with open superficial femoral arteries. The advisability of proximal arterial reconstruction in patients with combined hemodynamically significant aortoiliac and occlusive disease of the superficial femoral artery and claudication as the only indication for operation is questioned.