Factors Affecting Medium-Term Outcomes After Crural Angioplasty in Critically Ischemic Legs

To study factors affecting patency and medium-term outcomes after crural angioplasty.

All crural angioplasties between March 2003 and September 2010 were reviewed from a prospective database to analyze primary patency, amputation-free survival, and limb salvage.

Five hundred and twenty-seven limbs in 478 patients (58.7% male, mean age 73.9 ± 0.53 years) were treated. In all, 49.1% were diabetic patients and 7.4% were dialysis dependent. Primary patency was 65.5%, 57.8%, 48.5%, and 32.9% at 1, 6, 12, and 36 months, respectively. Amputation-free survival was 75.2% at 1 year and 59.0% at 3 years. Limb salvage at 3 years was 92.7%. Rutherford categories 5 and 6 had a consistent adverse effect on patency. This led to an adverse amputation-free survival and limb salvage at 3 years.

Crural angioplasty is an effective treatment for limb salvage. Its outcomes are adversely affected by diabetes, renal disease, coronary disease, and worsening Rutherford grade.