End-stage renal disease--is infrainguinal limb revascularization justified?

Reports of reconstructive surgery for peripheral vascular disease have been relatively uncommon in patients with end-stage renal disease. Between 1980 and 1989, 39 patients with end-stage renal disease underwent revascularization of 56 limbs. Fifty-two primary infrainguinal and four secondary infrainguinal bypass grafts were performed. In addition, nine thrombectomies were performed. At the time of surgery 37 patients were on dialysis; three had functioning kidney transplants. The indications for revascularization were gangrene, rest pain, or ulceration in all except three limbs with disabling claudication. Reversed, nonreversed, or in situ vein was used in 25 of the 52 primary infrainguinal revascularizations performed. Polytetrafluoroethylene was used in 25. Two procedures used a combination of polytetrafluoroethylene and vein. The primary patencies for all infrainguinal procedures at 1 and 2 years were 77% and 68%, respectively. Four perioperative deaths occurred in the infrainguinal group (7.7%). An additional death occurred after thrombectomy for late graft closure. Three deaths were a result of myocardial infarction. One patient on peritoneal dialysis developed uncontrolled sepsis. At 3 years 39% of patients were alive, and 84% of the limbs were salvaged. Among the cases studied no group was identified that represented unacceptable operative risk. Results compared well with reported patencies for patients subjected to infrainguinal revascularization procedures. Limb revascularization in patients with end-stage renal disease may be performed by use of similar criteria to those used for other patients with peripheral vascular disease.