A Donor’s Generosity Provides Quality of Life for an Active Senior Citizen

While enjoying retirement, a man in his early sixties developed narrowing of his popliteal artery as a result of diabetes and high blood pressure.  He was faced with the possibility of having his leg amputated above the knee.

Having a very active lifestyle playing golf, boating, fishing and being an avid volunteer in his community, an amputation of this type would have had a devastating impact on the quality of his life.

He was able to avoid the amputation by having an iliac-popliteal bypass.  The implantation of a saphenous vein allograft was used for the procedure.  Without the implant, his mobility would have been restricted to a wheelchair.

The patient recovered well, without any restrictions to his mobility or recreational and community activities.  He continues to enjoy his retirement.  Fortunately for him, tissue donation prevented him from being among the estimated 200,000 amputations that occur every year in the United States.

*The photos on this page are illustrative only and are not of actual recipients.