No abstract

No abstract

at a rate of approximately 21%. The incidence of diabetes mellitus was significantly higher in the fem-pop group and appears to significantly affect graft patency and the need for another intervention, as 83% of patients with graft stenosis needing angioplasty were diabetic. Diabetes mellitus also seem to affect stent patency as 40% of patients who needed repeat angioplasty in the long SFA stent group had diabetes, however more significantly in the fem-pop population. There appears to be no obvious correlation between the type of blood thinner used and the maintenance of patency in the group with long SFA stents. Overall, 50% of patients with long SFA stents needed a second intervention to maintain primary patency while only 30% of patients who had fem-pop bypass needed another intervention to maintain patency of the conduit. It also apparent that majority of SFA occlusions in this audit occurred within the first 6 months of deployment.