Distal venous arterialization for lower limb salvage: angiographic appearances and interventional procedures

Approximately 14%-20% of patients with critical lower limb ischemia are unsuited for distal arterial reconstruction and face major distal amputation. Distal venous arterialization is a unique procedure in which the venous bed is used as an alternative conduit for perfusion of peripheral tissues. Eighteen patients with stage IV Fontaine critical lower limb ischemia underwent venous arterialization. Preoperative angiographic findings confirmed the absence of any below-knee continuous arterial vessels. The most distal satisfactory artery was used for proximal bypass anastomosis, and venous valves were destroyed with Parsonnet probes, cutting balloons, Fogarty catheters, and valvulotomes under radiologic guidance. All patients underwent intra- and postoperative angiography of the venous grafts and the distal venous bed. Primary and secondary graft patencies were 66% and 72%, respectively, at a mean follow-up of 25 months. The limb salvage rate was 83% overall and 75% at 2-year follow-up. Vascular imaging is essential in selecting and following up patients and in determining the appropriate intraoperative procedure.