Advice

Search strategy and evidence selection

Search strategy and evidence selection

Search strategy

The following search strategy was used to search Ovid MEDLINE (R) 1946 to February week 3 2015:

("spiral flow PV graft" or "spiral laminar flow" or "spiral flow graft" or "vascular flow technologies").tw.

Similar search strategies were adapted for Medline in Process, Embase, PsycInfo, Cochrane Library (all components), Pubmed, HEED, NHS Evidence and Web of Science. The searches returned a total of 46 references after duplicate removal.

Evidence selection

Retrieved results were independently sifted by 2 researchers using the selection criteria below, and disagreements discussed and resolved.

  • Population: Patients with peripheral arterial disease needing an above‑the‑knee or below‑the‑knee bypass graft.

  • Intervention: Spiral Flow PV graft

  • Comparator: Autogenous lower extremity bypass

Standard PV graft

  • Outcomes:

    • procedural complications

    • primary patency rate

    • secondary patency rate

    • amputation rates

    • graft failure

    • graft occlusion

    • infection

    • re‑intervention rates

    • limb salvage rate

    • death.

After the first sift 39 records were removed based on the following criteria:

  • non‑English language studies

  • not relevant to selection criteria

  • review articles and protocols.

Full articles were retrieved for the remaining 9 studies. Due to the paucity of data, all studies meeting the selection criteria were considered for inclusion. Additional studies were provided by the manufacturer. Ultimately 5 references met the criteria and were included in this briefing.