Long-term Outcome in Pediatric Surgical Bypass Grafting After Traumatic Injury and Tumor Resection

Introduction:

Vascular bypass surgery in children differs significantly from adults. It is a rarely performed procedure in the setting of trauma and tumor surgery to facilitate limb salvage. Beside the technical challenges to reconstruct the small and spastic vessels, bypass grafting should not impede growth of the extremity. The primary aim of this study was to assess long-term outcome after pediatric bypass grafting, in a single academic center, focusing on potential effects on limb development.

Methods:

In this retrospective cohort analyses we included all pediatric patients undergoing vascular bypass grafting at the Medical University of Vienna between 2002-2017. All patients ≤ 18 years suffered a traumatic injury or underwent a tumor resection of the lower or upper limb, respectively. The youngest female patient was 0.4 years, the youngest male patient was 3.5 years.