Does saphenous vein arterialisation prevent major amputation in critical leg ischaemia? A comparative study

Background. Arterialisation of the great saphenous vein has been suggested to improve distal circulation In patients with critical leg ischaemia not a ccessible for reconstructive surgery. As the technique has been a matter of controversy the aim was to assess the outcome of a series of own patients treated with arterialisation and compare them with conservatively treated p atients. Methods. Experimental design: a retrospective cohort study. Setting: an aca demic referral centre (Department of Surgery, Helsinki University Central H ospital) together with a district hospital (Peijas-Rekola Hospital). Patien ts and interventions: 14 consecutive patients with critical leg ischaemia t reated with arteriallsation of the great saphenous vein in the district hos pital were compared with 14 age, sex, diabetes and symptom severity matched controls with critical leg ischaemia treated conservatively in the academi c referral centre, Measures: major amputations and patient survival, Results. The leg salvage rate was 57% at one year In the arterialisation gr oup acid 54% in the conservative group (NS) but the survival rate at one ye ar was 92% in the operative group and 64% in the control group (NS). Conclusions. Arterialisation did not have any effect on leg salvage. The re sults of this study do not support the use of arterialisation as a treatmen t for critical leg Ischaemia.