Nick Shaper, Bradford Royal Infirmary, UK, presented initial results of an on-going study which compares the performance of Spiral Flow prosthetic vascular grafts (Vascular Flow Technologies) with conventional ePTFE grafts at the VEITHsymposium in New York, USA.
“The study showed significantly encouraging initial results for the use of Spiral Laminar Flow grafts in lower extremity bypasses to warrant continued usage and further long term data acquisition,” said Shaper.
The study followed up the implantation of 31 Spiral Flow peripheral vascular grafts between February 2011 to October 2012 with prospective data on-going and a retrospective analysis of 136 conventional ePTFE grafts from same unit implanted between January 2003 to December 2008. The comparison presented was based on one year data available on 114 conventional PTFE grafts and 12 Spiral Flow grafts. The patients all had lower extremity bypasses.
The study showed that primary patency for the Spiral Flow graft was 92% compared to 48% for the conventional PTFE graft and secondary patency 100% for the Spiral Flow graft compared to 55% for the conventional PTFE graft. The amputation rate in the Spiral Flow graft group was 0% compared to 10% for the conventional graft group.
The Spiral Flow graft features a Spiral Flow Inducer, an ePTFE helical ridge on the graft lumen which remodels turbulent blood flow created by diseased vessels and conventional grafts into the body’s own natural spiral flow pattern.
