Arterialized in Situ Saphenous Vein

Abstract

A FREE GRAFT of autogenous greater saphenous vein has proven to be a reliable means for bypassing arterial obstructions of the lower extremities. This technique requires excision of a segment of the greater saphenous vein from either extremity, and construction of a vascular anastomosis between the ends of the vein segment and the artery above and below the obstructing lesion. Arterial blood flow is then reestablished through the graft. One must reverse the orientation of such a vein graft so that its valves do not interfere with the flow of blood. Rob¹overcame the valve interference to blood flow in a vein graft by destruction of valves instead of by reversal of the vein's orientation. This allowed the greater saphenous vein to be left in its natural subcutaneous bed with only the ends of the vein exposed and mobilized to permit anastomosis to the artery above and below the