Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia: Revascularization Versus Primary Amputation

Background: Critical limb ischemia (CLI) continues to be a significantly morbid disease for the aging population with high likelihood of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Objective: To analyze incidence and timing of all cause and cardiovascular mortality (CM) in patients who survived after intervention for CLI. Methods: Patients consecutively discharged with diagnosis of CLI during the period 2006-2008 were re-evaluated for cardiovascular morbidity after 2 years. Patients receiving revascularization either open or endovascular and those with primary major amputation were compared with Kaplan-Meier analyses. The effect of treatment on outcome was analyzed with Cox analysis. Results: There were 257 patients (171 men, aged 74.12y), 39 treated by primary major amputation and 218 by revascularization. During a mean follow-up of 37months, 81 patients died for all cause mortality and 35 for CM. Mean survival time was 57.4months. More than half deaths (n=44) occurred by 15 months with 21 patients dying in the first 6 months and 33 within the first 12 months. Thirty-five myocardial infarctions and 15 strokes occurred. Cumulative survival rate at 60 months was 54% for all cause mortality and 79% for CM. There was significantly worse survival in patients with primary amputation when compared to those receiving revascularization: rates for all cause mortality were 45% vs. 75% (p=0.001) and rates for CM were 68% vs. 90% (p<0.0001), in primary amputation and revascularization group respectively at 42 months. Unadjusted odd ratios for all cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with primary amputation vs. revascularization were 3.07 (95%CI 1.5-6.1, p=0.002) and 5.25 (95%CI 2.3-11.6, p<0.0001), respectively. After adjusting for age and gender, primary amputation persisted as independent predictor of all cause (HR 2.76, p<0.0001) and cardiovascular mortality (HR 5.11; p<0.0001). Conclusion: Mortality and CM after 2 years in patients surviving from CLI procedures are high. Primary amputation is a strong predictor of poor prognosis in the mid-long term for patients with CLI. Most deaths occur in the first 15 months after treatment. This data may question the benefits of revascularization.

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Chirurgische Behandlung von Protheseninfektionen; vergleichende retrospektive Analyse von 30 Fällen

VASA ◽

10.1024/0301-1526.31.1.48 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

pp. 48-55 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Gassel ◽

Klein ◽

Steger ◽

Kellersmann ◽

Hamelmann ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Surgical Treatment ◽

Graft Infection ◽

Local Therapy ◽

Complete Removal ◽

Prosthetic Graft ◽

Autologous Vein ◽

Prosthetic Reconstruction ◽

Prosthetic Graft Infection ◽

Primary Amputation ◽

Vein Bypass

Background: Graft infection after vascular prosthetic reconstruction for the treatment of peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) is a rare but severe complication with poor outcome. The options for surgical treatment are not uniformly accepted and remain controversial. Patients and methods: We retrospectively analyzed the histories of 30 patients treated for prosthetic graft infection (Szilagyi grade III) in our hospital between 1994 and 1999 to determine which forms of treatment were best suited for which types of patient. In the majority of cases the initial treatment was lower-extremity bypass surgery. The most frequent location of infection was the groin (73%). Staphylococci (13% of which were methicillin resistant) were the most common type of bacteria. The overall incidence of prosthetic infection was 2.3%. Results: After confirmation of the infection by computed tomography (CT) or white blood cell scintigraphy, one of the following 5 forms of surgical treatment was performed: 1. Removal of the infected prosthesis and its simultaneous replacement by an autologous vein bypass. 2. Bypass removal and secondary replacement by an autologous vein. 3. Extra-anatomical replacement. 4. Graft removal and primary amputation. 5. Local therapy with debridement and secondary wound healing. In some patients primary amputation after graft infection was necessary to prevent further deterioration with fulminant sepsis. The overall mortality was 17%, the amputation rate was 60%. Conclusions: The best results were achieved by early complete removal of the alloplastic material and one-step replacement by either an autologous vein or extra-anatomic bypass. This resulted in a limb salvage rate of 54% and 40% and mortality rates of 9% and 0%, respectively.

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