Objectives: to determine the outcome of a policy of ligation with observati
on of infected false femoral aneurysms (IFFA) in intravenous drug abusers (
IVDA), particularly with respect to the issue of limb preservation.
Design: a retrospective study.
Materials and methods: thirty-seven consecutive cases of IFFA in 34 patient
s accrued over nine years were studied by case note review and by clinical
or telephone interview.
Results: in 34 cases of ligation of primary IFFA there were no amputations,
with patients describing claudication only in follow-up. In three cases of
second IFFA in the same limb, repeat ligation resulted in two viable limbs
with claudication only, and one above-knee amputation. At the nine year fo
llow-up, all patients were still drug-dependent and considered unsuitable f
or late revascularisation. There were three deaths and all were drug-relate
d.
Conclusions: in our experience, ligation of IFFA is effective, safe and sim
ple, and is the most appropriate method of dealing with these challenging c
ases.