QUALITY-OF-LIFE FOLLOWING INFRAGENICULAR BYPASS AND LOWER-LIMB AMPUTATION

Aims: To objectively assess the quality of life after femorodistal byp ass and compare this to quality of life achieved following primary lim b amputation. Design: Retrospective review. Setting: Leicester Royal I nfirmary; U.K., 1988-1993. Methods: A self-assessment postal questionn aire containing scales measuring emotional disorder social functioning and mobility was sent to 112 patients who had previously undergone fe morodistal bypass (n = 86) or primary limb amputation (n=26). Results: Further analysis demonstrated that a secondary procedure (PTA or graf t revision) to maintain graft patency did not adversely affect quality of life. Additionally, patients undergoing secondary amputation after graft failure had an identical quality of life to those undergoing pr imary amputation, Conclusions: These data illustrate that the quality of life after successful femorodistal bypass is higher than after prim ary or secondary amputation. To attain the maximum quality of life in patients with critical ischaemia, femorodistal bypass should be perfor med wherever feasible.