Pedicled omental transfer for limb salvage in Buerger's disease

We performed pedicled omental transfer in 62 patients with Buerger's diseas e at the Department of Surgery, J.L.N. Hospital, Ajmer between January 1990 and December 1996. All were male and had evidence of limb ischaemia. Post- operative results in these patients consisted of relief of intermittent cla udication in 92%, disappearance of rest pain in 94%, disappearance of limb coldness in 83%, disappearance of discolouration in 82%, and healing of isc haemic ulcers in 83%. Tissue oxygen saturation in the affected limb improve d from a mean of 84.8 +/- 3.6% in the preoperative period, to 89 +/- 1.5% a t 12 h, 93.1 +/- 1.89% at 72 h and 96 +/- 1.2% at the end of 2 months of fo llow-up. Claudication distance improved from a mean of 75 +/- 20 m in the p re-operative period to 1000 +/- 110 m at 2 months of follow-up in 57 of 62 patients. Major amputations were not required in any patient, thus conservi ng the limb. We conclude that pedicled omental transfer offers promising re sults in patients with limb ischaemia due to Buerger's disease. (C) 2000 El sevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.