Surgical bypass constitutes 15-30 percent of limb ischemia procedures. Current consensus in the vascular community is that most patients suffering from severe tissue loss and critical limb ischemia may be best treated primarily by bypass. Yet, approximately 30-50 percent of these patients will not have an autogenous saphenous vein that can serve as a quality conduit.

An international delegation of fifteen vascular surgeons convened to form the inaugural Surgical Bypass Summit. The group challenged historic beliefs about surgical bypass and whether there needs to be a change in the current treatment paradigm. The summit attendees agreed that their current patient care algorithm may warrant reconsideration. Making available the compendium of presentations and discussions from the event will further foster education around this important conversation and will allow vascular surgeons from around the world to share in the knowledge gained during the summit.

“The mission of the summit was to reach a consensus on how bypass will best serve patients and the type of bypass to be performed given the changing data and technology,” said Richard Neville, MD, Professor of Surgery and Chief of Vascular Surgery at the George Washington University Hospital in Washington, DC. “Now, we can bring the lessons learned to the broader community in an effort to shift treatment decisions to the individual patient.”

“There is a definitive role for surgical bypass in the treatment of peripheral artery disease and atherosclerosis. But how it’s performed needs to be addressed on an individual basis where both the physician and patients are involved in the decision making process,” said Russell Samson, MD, Clinical Professor of Surgery at Florida State University Medical School and Vascular Surgeon at Sarasota Vascular Specialists in Sarasota, Florida. “The community as a whole needs to take part in these critical conversations and it is our hope that other surgeons will join in this movement.”

The website includes video recordings of the presentations and roundtable discussions, which focus on the clinical scenarios, treatment algorithms, healthcare economic value of durable solutions, and current technologies associated with using bypass as a form of revascularization. The various polls available on the site allow visitors to take part in the conversation by voting on some of the fundamental questions that arose during the summit and comparing answers with responses from the leading vascular surgeons who participated in the event.

“Stimulating peer-to-peer collaboration through learning opportunities is critical to help fulfill the promise of successful patient outcomes,” said James Fazio, Business Leader for the Gore Peripheral Vascular Team. “The Surgical Bypass Summit and online resource provide a catalyst for vascular surgeons to have an open and honest conversation about current standards of care and how together, we can effect change.”

For more information on the summit and to take part in the conversation, visit www.surgicalbypass.com or Gore booth 718 during SVS.

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At Gore, we have provided creative therapeutic solutions to complex medical problems for more than 35 years. During that time, more than 35 million innovative Gore Medical Devices have been implanted, saving and improving the quality of lives worldwide. Our extensive family of products includes vascular grafts, endovascular and interventional devices, surgical meshes for hernia and soft tissue reconstruction, staple line reinforcement materials, and sutures for use in vascular, cardiac, and general surgery. We are one of a select few companies to appear on all of the US “100 Best Companies to Work For” lists since the rankings debuted in 1984.