Limb salvage in high-risk patients with multisegmental disease

Is percutaneous iliac angioplasty before distal bypass a logical limb salvage option in a high-risk patient? A retrospective review of 113 iliac angioplasty procedures identified 10 patients in this situation. Angioplasty preceded femoropopliteal bypass (five), femorotibial bypass (three) and, in one case each, femorofemoral bypass or profundoplasty. There were no interventional deaths or complications. Ankle/brachial pressure index improvement followed intervention: 0.28 + 0.2 vs. 0.92 + 0.08, (p less than 0.0005). Limb salvage was 90% at one month, 80% at six months and 70% at one to three years by Life-Table analysis. Two patients with a patent bypass lost limbs from uncontrolled infection within two months. One patient required an amputation 311 days after the only failure of angioplasty and distal bypass. During this study period, 56% of the patients died. This review supports an angioplasty/bypass combined intervention as a valuable treatment option in high-risk patients facing limb loss.