Aneurysm formation in bovine mesenteric vein grafts after infrainguinal reconstructions

Abstract

The use of autologous vein graft in infrainguinal arterial bypass grafting (IABG) is the gold standard. However, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE)/heterografts can be also used in cases where the use of autologous vein graft is inappropriate. Biological vascular grafts have been used for many years in the treatment of peripheral arterial diseases. In this report, we present a 62-year-old male who was admitted to our clinic with the symptoms of left lower leg ischemia and diagnosed with left superficial femoral artery occlusion. The patient who did not have an appropriate autologous vein graft underwent femoropopliteal bypass grafting (FPBG) surgery via bovine mesenteric vein graft. At eight months, the patient revisited our clinic with the complaint of a pulsatile mass on the grafting site of the left leg. Aneurysmal dilatation of graft was detected in the patient and aneurysmatic bovine mesenteric vein graft was replaced by ePTFE graft. The patient was discharged on day 8 following uneventful surgery.