Incidence and importance of lower extremity nerve lesions after infrainguinal vascular surgical interventions.

Abstract

To determine the incidence of peripheral nerve lesions after arterial vascular surgery of the lower extremity. 436 patients who underwent peripheral vascular surgery from January 1992 until December 1996 underwent a detailed postoperative neurological examination. 147 patients underwent profundaplasty, 140 above-knee femoropopliteal bypasses, 106 below-knee femoropopliteal bypasses and 56 femorotibial bypasses. There were 182 women and 254 men. Peripheral nerve lesions were observed in 11 patients (4%) after primary operations. 166 patients underwent reoperations (38%) and 55 of these developed nerve lesions (33%). Reoperation carries an 8-fold increased risk of nerve lesions compared with patients undergoing primary surgery. Detailed explanation of the risk of peripheral nerve lesions before vascular surgery of the lower limb is advisable.