Tratamento endovascular de doença arterial obstrutiva abaixo do joelho: existem limites para a revascularização? – experiência de 5 anos de um centro

Abstract

Introduction

Endovascular surgery is an effective way to treat below the knee disease in critical limb ischemia patients. It has been described to have high limb salvage rates with low associated morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this work is to review our results in below the knee endovascular procedures, focusing on complex below the knee lesions, particularly when it is uncertain if and which below the ankle and foot arteries are patent.

Material and methods

We did a retrospective analysis of our Department's experience in endovascular treatment of below the knee disease, including patients submitted to first procedures for a de novo critical limb ischemia, during the period from January/2010 to August/2014 (275 patients). We reviewed both clinical files and patients angiograms. The primary outcomes were: technical success rate, reintervention rate, limb salvage rate and lesion healing time. We did a subanalysis of the outcomes related to the treatment of long below the knee occlusions.

Results

Technical success in treating below the knee stenosis was 98.9%. Below the knee occlusions were detected in 54.9% of the patients (39.4% with at least one vessel with a long occlusion). Antegrade recanalization was attempted in all patients and achieved in 92.8%. Distal retrograde recanalization was successful in another 5.4% of the patients. In 23.6% of the patients a long occlusion recanalization was performed (27.6% of these patients had no aparent foot outflow before the recanalization). Failure rate was 3.6%. Reintervention rate was 26.2%. Limb salvage rate was 91.3% (one‐year). The mean time for ulcer healing was 5.3 months. More tibial vessels patent at the end of the procedure was associated with higher limb salvage rate (p = 0.026) and faster ulcer healing time (p = 0.015). For these parameters the angiossomic revascularization had a tendency to be associated with better results (p = 0.090 and 0.097 accordingly).

Conclusion

Hence we present favourable results in the endovascular treatment of below the knee disease, comparable to specialized centres. The treatment of long below the knee occlusions can be achieved, even when there is doubt of below the ankle arteries patency, thus presenting good short and medium term results.