Early clinical results of the modified human umbilical cord vein homograft (Dardik Biograft)

Fifty-six reconstructions using Biograft were performed in 45 cases with peripheral arterial occlusion. These consisted of 11 femoro-popliteal bypasses above the knee, 19 femoro-popliteal below the knee, 10 femoro-tibial or peroneal and 16 other miscellaneous procedures including aorto-femoral and extra-anatomic bypasses. Overall patency rates for each type of procedure were 81.8%, 78.9%, 30.0%, and 93.8%, respectively. The cumulative patency rate (calculated by the life table method) for the total group was 70.5% at 56 months. Early failure was thought to relate to technical factors in most instances. The majority of late failures was due to intimal hyperplasia at the distal anastomotic site. One of 9 late failures was successfully treated by patch angioplasty at 23 months following initial operation. Therefore, in order to attain better late results, early discovery of developing stenosis by noninvasive examination techniques and arteriography is important.