[Ischemic disease of the lower extremity and lumbar sympathectomy]

We consider lumbar sympathectomy (LSE) to be the last attempt to improve the condition of the limb. Though being aware of inconsistent opinions on LSE, we are not opponents of this method, particularly if it is carried out in a selected group of patients, that is in case of: 1) treatment of frostbites, 2) treatment of patients at an early stage of advanced ischemia whose main symptom is moderate night pain at rest, 3) desiccation of chronically moist ulcerations between the toes, 4) treatment of patients with reflex symptomatic dystrophy (causalgia), 5) Buerger's disease.