Surgery for limb threatening ischaemia: a reappraisal of the costs and benefits

To study the quality of life of patients following surgery for critical limb is ischaemia.

Part retrospective, part prospective open study.

Vascular unit of a University Hospital.

Seventy-nine consecutive patients, medium age 75 years (range 44 to 94), who presented with leg threatening ischaemia and who underwent successful revascularisation or a major amputation were studied.

Six separate quality of life measures were recorded at 6 months: pain, mobility, anxiety, depression, activities of daily living (Barthel) and lifestyle (Frenchay).

The mortality of this group of patients after six months was 24%. Forty-seven patients were available for quality of life assessment six months after initial intervention. Overall, amputation was more costly than successful revascularisation and limb salvage. Limb salvage resulted in greater mobility (p < 0.001) and better performance in self-care (p < 0.001) and lifestyle (p = 0.006), but produced more anxiety and depression (p = 0.04) than major amputation. A subgroup of patients who had major amputation after a failed limb salvage operation consumed a disproportionate amount of resources and, although their mobility was typical of amputees, their self-care and lifestyle scores were similar to those who had successful limb salvage. OBSTRUCTIONS: Limb salvage is attempted in up to 22% of patients for whom primary amputation may provide more expeditious rehabilitation with minimal impairment of their lifestyle performance.