Influence of the greater saphenous vein graft quality in the early patency of infrainguinal revascularizations

RESUMO

Objectives: The authors evaluate the quality of the greater saphenous veins used in lower limb revascularization at the moment of their implantation, using a semiquantitative histopathological method, relating the vein quality with patient's sex and age, as well as the influence on early patenct rates. Method: A total of 144 veins of 144 patients were studied, 88 male and 56 female, with a mean age of 65,7 years. The vein was stained with hematoxylin-eosin. The degree of intimal hyperplasia and hypertrophy of the longitudinal and circular muscular layers of the media were analyzed. The quality of the vein was classified, by adding the grades of each layer, into good, regular and questionable quality. Results: As to quality, 82 veins (57 por cento) were classified as good, 49 (34 por cento) as regular and 13 (9 por cento) as questionable. In six months, the primary patency of good quality veinsas 80,5 por cento, that of regularuality veins was 79,6 por cento and the patency of questionable quality veins was 84,6 por cento. Conclusion: No differences were seen in vein quality, either in the individual evaluation of each layer or in the global evaluation of the three layers, regarding the patient's sex and age. No differences was observed regarding the patency of the grafts...