Combined Distal Venous Arterialization and Free Flap for Patients with Extensive Tissue Loss

Re-do Hybrid Deep Venous Arterialization via the Popliteal Venous System: Conversion From a Deep Venous Arterialization to a Superficial Venous Arterialization

Deep venous arterialization (DVA) is a final option for limb salvage in patients with end stage arterial anatomy. We report a 66-year-old dialysis dependent male with forefoot gangrene, Rutherford class 6 chronic limb ischemia, who required a redo endovascular DVA. On initial presentation an angiogram was demonstrated a desert foot with absent tibial runoff to his bilateral lower extremities. After discussion, patient elected to trial DVA in hope of avoiding a major amputation. A hybrid DVA was performed using a Pioneer Plus and .018″ Viabahn stents from the peroneal artery into the peroneal venous system; following this, the peroneal vein was anastomosed to the lesser saphenous vein via an open posterior approach at the ankle. 3 months later, a second DVA was performed by exposing the above knee popliteal artery and vein and creating an end-to-side anastomosis. Of note, the great saphenous vein was less than 2 mm in diameter and no arm vein was available due to history of prior fistulas in bilateral arms. Via the popliteal vein, the posterior tibial vein was selected and additional .018″ Viabahn stents were deployed from the malleolus to the P2 segment of the popliteal vein. Three months after the second hybrid DVA, the patient's forefoot had healed after split thickness skin grafting. Continued patency is noted of the re-do hybrid DVA with minimal calf edema. Newer creative strategies are required for "No Option Chronic Limb Ischemia" which is becoming more relevant in diabetic and dialysis dependent patients. This case illustrates the potential to convert a deep venous arterialization to a superficial venous arterialization for improved venous outflow and wound healing.

Endovascular and Surgical Venous Arterialization for No-Option Patients With Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) is known for its high rates of major amputation and mortality. Conventional revascularization techniques often fail in CLTI patients due to the heavily diseased arteries. Foot vein arterialization (FVA) has been proposed as an alternative technique to provide arterial blood to the foot by using the disease-free venous bed.

OBJECTIVES

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine outcomes of surgical FVA (sFVA) and percutaneous FVA (pFVA) at 6 and 12 months post-procedure.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched to identify papers reporting clinical outcomes of sFVA and pFVA published between January 1966 and March 2023.

METHODS

Databases were searched for eligible studies. A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the limb salvage rate, overall survival rate, and wound healing rate at 6 and 12 months.

RESULTS

A total of 27 studies were included, with 753 patients and 793 limbs. Of the included studies, 16 analyzed the sFVA technique and 11 the pFVA technique. Of the included patients, 86.3% were Rutherford 5/6 in the sFVA group versus 98.4% in the pFVA group. The pooled limb salvage rate at 6 and 12 months was 78.1% and 74.1% in the sFVA group and 81.7% and 78.6% in the pFVA group, respectively. Wound healing rates were not reported in the sFVA group. In the pFVA group, the pooled wound healing rates were 48.1% and 64.5% at 6 and 12 months, respectively.

CONCLUSION

This study showed promising results after FVA among a large population of CLTI patients. In high-risk patients, pFVA is a feasible option with favorable limb salvage and wound healing rates.

Two stages of salvaging an extensively necrotic foot with chronic limb-threatening ischemia by arterialization of great saphenous vein and free latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap transfer for wound coverage with the arterialized vein as the recipient vessel: A case report

Patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) without other options for adequate arterial revascularization could undergo deep (or distal) venous arterialization for limb salvage. Additionally, patients with extensive foot wound with CLTI sometimes require free flap transfer for limb salvage. We herein report a case of successful reconstructive limb-salvage surgery for an extensively necrotic foot with CLTI, using a two-stage operation involving venous arterialization using foot-perforating veins and subsequent free flap transfer (with preservation of the arterialized vein). The patient was a 59-year-old man with CLTI. The patient's right foot had dry necrotic tissue after Lisfranc joint amputation. Only one straight-line to the posterior tibial artery was achieved after endovascular therapies (four times). At the first stage of surgery, an arterial-venous shunt bypass from the superficial femoral artery to the distal great saphenous vein (GSV) (near the foot-perforating vein) was created. Arterial blood supply reached the necrotic area via the foot venous circulation system. At the second stage of surgery, free latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap (8 × 27 cm) transfer with preservation of the arterialized vein was performed. The pedicle artery was anastomosed to the bypass graft (end-to-side). The pedicle vein was anastomosed to the proximal stump of the GSV (end-to-end). The flap and residual foot survived completely, at a one-year follow-up postoperatively. An indocyanine green bypass-through angiography revealed the angiosome through the venous arterialization bypass graft, which included the flap; entire forefoot; and partial regions of the midfoot and heel. This two-stage operation might be considered a useful option for limb-salvage and complete wound-healing in patients with severe non-healing wound with CLTI. The two methods could compensate and overcome the problems of either method: incomplete wound-healing after venous arterialization, and the absence of a recipient artery for free flap transfer.

Evidence of nutritional vascular formation from the “nutrient flap” in a patient with no-option chronic limb-threatening ischemia: An indocyanine green fluorescence imaging study

The concept of a “nutrient flap,” in which ischemic tissue is nourished by a transferred well-perfused flap, has been advocated for use since the early days of free flap procedures. Several studies have reported cases of no-option chronic limb-threatening ischemia salvaged by nutrient free flap transfer. However, it has been difficult to prove the actual dynamic flow and nutritional vascular formation. Thus, the existence of a nutrient flap has remained unproved. In the present report, we have described the case of free flap transfer for a patient with no-option chronic limb-threatening ischemia in whom we detected evidence of a nutrient flap using indocyanine green fluorescence imaging.

Open, percutaneous, and hybrid deep venous arterialization technique for no-option foot salvage

OBJECTIVE

Deep venous arterialization (DVA) is a technique aimed at providing an option for chronic limb-threatening ischemia patients with no options except amputation. In patients with no outflow distal targets permitting bypass, DVA involves creating a connection between a proximal arterial inflow and a distal venous outflow in conjunction with disruption of the vein valves in the foot. This permits blood flow to reach the foot and potentially to resolve rest pain or to assist in healing of a chronic wound. We aimed to provide an up-to-date review of DVA indications; to describe the open, percutaneous, and hybrid technique; to detail outcomes of each of the available techniques; and to relay the postoperative considerations for the DVA approach.

METHODS

A literature review of relevant articles containing all permutations of the terms "deep venous arterialization" and "distal venous arterialization" was undertaken with the MEDLINE, Cochrane, and PubMed databases to find cases of open, percutaneous, and hybrid DVA in the peer-reviewed literature. The free text and Medical Subject Headings search terms included were "ischemia," "lower extremity," "venous arterialization," "arteriovenous reversal," and "lower limb salvage." Studies were primarily retrospective case series but did include two studies with matched controls. Recorded primary outcomes were patency, limb salvage, wound healing, amputation, and resolution of rest pain, with secondary outcomes of complication and overall mortality. Studies were excluded if there was insufficient discussion of technical details (graft type, target vein) or lack of reported outcome measure.

RESULTS

Studies that met inclusion criteria (12 open, 3 percutaneous, 2 hybrid) were identified, reviewed, and summarized to compare technique, patient selection, and outcomes between open, percutaneous, and hybrid DVA. For open procedures, 1-year primary patency ranged from 44.4% to 87.5%; secondary patency was less reported but ranged from 55.6% at 1 year to 72% at 25-month follow-up. Limb salvage rates ranged from 25% to 100%, wound healing occurred in 28.6% to 100% of cases, and rest pain resolved in 11.9% to 100% across cohorts. For the endovascular approach, primary patency ranged from 28.6% to 40% at 6-month and 10-month follow-up. Limb salvage rates ranged from 60% to 71%, with rates of major amputation ranging from 20% to 28.5%.

CONCLUSIONS

This review provides an up-to-date review of DVA indications, description of various DVA techniques, patient selection associated with each approach, and outcomes for each technique.

Venous Arterialisation for Salvage of Critically Ischaemic Limbs: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Critical limb ischaemia (CLI) is the end stage of peripheral artery disease (PAD) and is associated with high amputation and mortality rates and poor quality of life. For CLI patients with no revascularisation options, venous arterialisation could be a last resort for limb salvage.

OBJECTIVE

To review the literature on the clinical effectiveness of venous arterialisation for lower limb salvage in CLI patients with no revascularisation options.

METHOD

Different databases were searched for papers published between January 1966 and January 2016. The criteria for eligible articles were studies describing outcomes of venous arterialisation, published in English, human studies, and with the full text available. Additionally, studies were excluded if they did not report limb salvage, wound healing or amputation as outcome measures. The primary outcome measure was post-operative limb salvage at 12 months. Secondary outcome measures were 30 day or in-hospital mortality, survival, patency, technical success, and wound healing.

RESULTS

Fifteen articles met the inclusion criteria. The included studies described 768 patients. According to the MINORS score, methodological quality was moderate to poor. The estimated pooled limb salvage rate at one year was 75% (0.75, 95% CI 0.70-0.81). Thirty day or in-hospital mortality was reported in 12 studies and ranged from 0 to 10%. Overall survival was reported in 10 studies and ranged from 54% to 100% with a mean follow-up ranging from 5 to 60 months. Six studies reported on patency of the venous arterialisations performed, with a range of 59-71% at 12 months.

CONCLUSION

In this systematic review on venous arterialisation in patients with non-reconstructable critical limb ischaemia, the pooled proportion of limb salvage at 12 months was 75%. Venous arterialisation could be a valuable treatment option in patients facing amputation of the affected limb; however, the current evidence is of low quality.

Ulcer healing after peripheral intervention-can we predict it before revascularization?

Complete ulcer healing is one of the most important goals of treatment for critical limb ischemia; however, it is still difficult to inform patients of the time to ulcer healing before performing revascularization. The time to ulcer healing has a great impact on the cost of treatment and patient's quality of life. To predict it, the factors that influence delayed ulcer healing should be explored. According to a review of the literature investigating ulcer healing after revascularization, the influential factors can be classified into 5 categories: (1) systemic factors; (2) clinical state of tissue defect; (3) infection; (4) wound management strategy; and (5) revascularization strategy (endovascular or open repair, the angiosome concept). It is also important to ensure sufficient blood supply to predict ulcer healing probability in the individual patient. Several new methodologies, such as measuring tissue circulation around the tissue defect and intraoperative imaging techniques, have been reported. Because the status of ischemic tissue loss and wound healing ability can affect the decision-making process in selecting the revascularization strategy, understanding the many factors that influence ulcer healing after revascularization is indispensable for physicians performing revascularization. Accumulating ulcer healing data via well-designed clinical research can help to establish a new paradigm for the revascularization strategy from the viewpoint of ulcer healing.

Venular valves and retrograde perfusion

Forced retrograde perfusion through the venous system with arterial blood can provide adequate oxygen to peripheral tissues at rest through veno-capillary networks which is the basis for surgical restoration of blood flow by distal vein arterialization (DVA). To be successful such surgery requires disruption of valve leaflets in the veins, which can be accomplished easily in the larger vessels. However, the smallest veins (venules) of less than 100 μm in diameter, also possess valves, are distributed widely throughout all tissues and are too fine for any effective surgical interference. Thus venular valves cannot be disrupted or dissected with presently available technology. Nevertheless, clinical observations suggest that retrograde peripheral blood flow is rapidly established after DVA surgery. There is as yet no rational explanation for this phenomenon. In the present study, using Laplace's law, we attempt to elucidate the mechanical properties of venules and their valves. We speculate that the remarkably thin venular walls (and especially those of the smaller vessels which have the thinnest walls), are capable of considerable, rapid distension when subjected to increased hemostatic pressure. The increase in diameter of venules in response to the increased blood pressure renders their valve leaflets incompetent, so that the valves themselves cannot close the vessel lumen. In addition, the thin bicuspid leaflets may also be forced open retrogradely by the increased blood pressure.

A hybrid therapy for Buerger's disease using distal bypass and a free temporoparietal fascial flap: a case report

Buerger's disease presents a difficult challenge, with its uncertain etiology and lack of a standardized therapy, and is often refractory to treatment. In the present report, we have described the case of a 43-year-old male with Buerger's disease, a refractory ulcer on his right great toe, and severe pain at rest. We obtained favorable results using a hybrid therapy that combined distal bypass with a free temporoparietal fascial flap. Postoperatively, the flap healed, and the patient's pain resolved. After more than 3 years of follow-up, he had had no recurrence of the foot ulceration, and the patency of the bypass graft had been confirmed using Doppler flowmetry. We believe that the hybrid therapy we devised for the present patient (ie, combined distal bypass with a free temporoparietal fascial flap) is an effective treatment of Buerger's disease with pedal ulceration. The therapeutic strategies for this condition should not adhere to a single treatment modality; rather, they should combine available treatment modalities according to each individual patient's condition.