Four-year surveillance study of metal clip anastomoses in peripheral arterial reconstruction

Abstract

In our preliminary study four years ago, using vascular closure staple (VCS) clips in making arterial anastomoses in peripheral vascular reconstructions, we showed that clip closure is easy and safe in early long-term (an average of 11 months) follow-up. In the present study we re-examined all the patients who had been bypassed using VCS clips in our earlier study. All together, ten of 17 patients were clinically examined, the ankle brachial index was measured, and a duplex Doppler examination was performed. The mean ankle brachial index in the operated leg of seven patients was 1.01 (range, 0.78–1.52). The anastomoses of nine patients were patent and neither turbulent blood flow nor aneurysms were seen. Only a PTFE prosthesis was occluded. The long-term experience of using metal clips in the peripheral vascular reconstructions seems to be encouraging, because the patency of grafts is good and no adverse reactions, such as aneurysms, were seen during the four-year surveillance period.