Aim: To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of subintimal infrapopliteal angioplasty (SIA) as a method for recanalization of occluded tibial arteries in the treatment of critical limb ischaemia (CLI).
Materials and methods: Between January 2002 and September 2003, 20 patients with CLI were submitted to SIA; of these, 16 had diabetes mellitus. All patients had foot ulceration or gangrene and ten had rest pain. All patients were treated with SIA of one or more vessels of the popliteal district. Overall, thirty-four arteries of the infrapopliteal district underwent revascularization; in 9 cases, SIA of superficial femoral artery occlusions was associated. Technical success was evaluated on angiography at the end of the procedure: revascularization of at least one of the 3 leg vessels with re-establishment of arterial flow to the foot was regarded as a technical success. Pain relief (when pain was present) and healing of foot ulceration, without above-the-ankle major amputation (limb salvage), were defined as clinically successful. During the follow-up (mean: 9 months; range: 6-21 months) all patients were checked 6 months after the procedure by clinical examination and colour-Doppler ultrasound.
Results: The technical success rate of SIA in the revascularization of the infrapopliteal vessels was 85%. In the 17 technically successful cases, pain had entirely resolved in 9/10 cases and trophic lesions of the foot healed in 14/17 cases. In this group, 9 patients underwent minor amputation; 2 underwent major above-the-ankle amputation; one underwent to surgery 20 days after the SIA and required a femoro-tibial by-pass. In the 3 cases of technical failure (15%), revascularization of the entire occluded tract could not be achieved. Of these, one patient subsequently underwent major amputation. Nine months after SIA, the cumulative limb salvage rate was 85% (17/20 clinically successful cases) and the survival rate was 90%. Colour-Doppler US at 6 months showed 70% primary patency. No major complication occurred during the procedure. Five minor complications in four patients were managed endovascularly or healed spontaneously.
Conclusions: SIA is a feasible and effective technique for foot revascularization in patients with CLI. Long occlusions or diffusely calcified arteries are suitable indications. Technical failure does not preclude conventional surgery. In patients treated with SIA, the risk of major amputation is low and mortality rate is nil. Minor complications can be managed using endovascular techniques.