Outcomes of Isolated Tibial Endovascular Interventions for Tissue Loss in CLI Patients on Hemodialysis

To compare the objective performance goals (OPGs) and patient-centered outcomes of isolated tibial interventions in patients with tissue loss who were on hemodialysis (HD) to patients with tissue loss who were not on HD.

Interrogation of a prospectively maintained database identified 242 critical limb ischemia (CLI) patients who underwent isolated tibial interventions for tissue loss in a single limb between 2007 and 2012. The 78 patients (mean age 66±12 years; 44 men) on HD were compared with 164 patients (mean age 50±13 years; 82 men) who were not on HD. There was an equal distribution of the tibial vessels treated; 152 (63%) patients had more than one treated tibial vessel. Patient-centered outcomes of clinical efficacy (absence of recurrent symptoms, maintenance of ambulation, and no major amputation), amputation-free survival (AFS), and freedom from major adverse limb events (MALE) were evaluated. The Society for Vascular Surgery OPGs were defined at 30 days and 1 year.

The 30-day major adverse cardiac events was significantly higher (p=0.004) in the HD group (5, 5%) compared with the no-HD group (0%), but both remained under the stated OPG of ≤10%. The 30-day MALE rates were significantly higher than the stated ≤9% OPG at 13% and 18% for the no-HD and HD groups, respectively. At 1 year, the rates for AFS, freedom from MALE, limb salvage, and survival did not achieve the stated Society for Vascular Surgery OPGs in the HD group. Clinical efficacy was 61% and 25% at 3 years for the no-HD and HD groups, respectively (p<0.01). Overall, AFS was 54% and 22% and freedom from MALE was 56% and 27% at 3 years for the no-HD and HD groups, respectively (both p<0.01).

Tibial intervention for tissue loss in patients on HD is a valid treatment option but is associated with a high MALE rate. Three-year outcomes remain relatively poor, with <25% success in terms of clinical efficacy and AFS.