Collateral circulation between angiosomes in the feet of diabetic patients

Objectives The main factor in the healing of foot ulcers in diabetic patients is adequate perfusion. There is no consensus on whether direct or indirect revascularization is more effective in leg revascularization. At the centre of that debate, there is a disagreement about whether collateral circulation is sufficient or not. Our aim is to evaluate collateral circulation activity between angiosomes in the feet of diabetic patients by evaluating the level of occlusion in leg arteries and comparing the angiosome regions that have necrosis. Methods The study included 61 patients. All had undergone CT angiography to the lower extremity prior to any revascularization of the leg arteries between September 2014 and September 2016. Stenosis was evaluated on the anterior tibial artery, the posterior tibial artery and the peroneal artery up to the level of the ankle. The opening of the vessel wall at the narrowest part of the vessel was determined as a percentage. The areas with necrosis were determined according to the angiosomes of the posterior tibial artery, anterior tibial artery and peroneal artery vessels. Results Necrosis of the foot was most common in the posterior tibial artery angiosome. Necrosis in the posterior tibial artery angiosome was independent of the level of posterior tibial artery occlusion; however, it was associated with the occlusion of the anterior tibial artery ( p < 0.05). It was found that anterior tibial artery occlusion over 15% resulted in necrosis in the posterior tibial artery angiosome. Conclusions Collateral circulation between the anterior tibial artery and posterior tibial artery is active and there is almost always occlusion in the posterior tibial artery branches. The posterior tibial artery angiosome is fed by the collateral arteries of the anterior tibial artery even if there is no occlusion of posterior tibial artery at the level of the leg, so indirect revascularization on the anterior tibial artery is sufficient to provide foot circulation.