Initial experience with a novel hybrid vascular graft for peripheral artery disease.

: This report describes the successful use of a new hybrid vascular graft as a conduit for above knee femoropopliteal bypass surgery. The graft consists of a proximal (heparin coated) expanded polytetrafluoroethylene section but ends distally as a nitinol reinforced selfexpandable stent that is covered and constrained, allowing a sutureless distal anastamosis. With this graft the creation of above knee bypasses in situations where lesions extend to the popliteal artery behind the knee, or in cases where the above knee popliteal artery is severely calcified is still possible. This avoids the necessity of an infragenicular bypass with potentially inferior longterm patency rates, especially when no autologous venous bypass material is available.