Upper limb ischaemia: a South African single-centre experience

Area of Science:

• Vascular Surgery
• Ischaemic Limb Disease
• Public Health

Background:

• Upper limb ischaemia (ULI) is a condition affecting blood flow to the arm.
• Understanding the demographics and outcomes of ULI is crucial for effective treatment.
• Limited data exists on ULI patterns in specific geographical regions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the experience with upper limb ischaemia (ULI) in a specific patient population.
• To define the disease pattern, distribution, and demographic features of ULI.
• To report on clinical outcomes and procedural interventions for ULI.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective, single-centre, descriptive study.
• Inclusion of 64 patients who underwent surgical intervention for ULI over 12 years.
• Analysis and comparison of findings with existing literature.

Main Results:

• Thrombo-embolism (47%) was the dominant vascular pathology, with patients in this subgroup being younger (mean age 55).
• Late presentation was common, with significant rates of irreversible ischaemia and tissue loss.
• Peri-operative mortality was 7.8%, major amputation rate was 10.9%, and follow-up adherence was poor (51% at six months).

Conclusions:

• The study provides insights into ULI specific to the studied population.
• Collaboration among African vascular units is recommended to better define ULI patterns.
• Further research is needed to identify geographical confounders influencing ULI.