Patient and procedure-related risk factors for adverse events after infrainguinal bypass

Perioperative therapeutic antibiotics are beneficial to prevent exacerbation of limb-associated infection after bypass surgery in patients with critical limb-threatening ischemia and foot infection score of ≥1

OBJECTIVE

Postoperative limb infection is associated with a poor prognosis and a low amputation-free survival rate after surgical revascularization in patients with critical limb-threatening ischemia. The Global Vascular Guidelines 2019 recommend antibiotic therapy for patients with deep space foot infection or wet gangrene; however, no study is cited as evidence for this recommendation. The present study was performed to offer new evidence supporting the use of perioperative therapeutic antibiotics in patients with critical limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) undergoing surgical revascularization.

METHODS

This single-center retrospective study was performed in Kyushu University Hospital and involved patients with CLTI who underwent surgical revascularization from 2003 to 2021. Ampicillin/sulbactam and cefazolin were defined as preventive antibiotics, and other types were defined as therapeutic antibiotics. Postoperative limb-associated infection was defined as an increased foot infection (fI) score in the Wound, Ischemia, and foot Infection (WIfI) classification system after surgical revascularization. The association between perioperative antibiotic therapy and postoperative limb-associated infection was assessed.

RESULTS

Among 286 limbs of 263 patients with CLTI, 27 (9%) limbs developed postoperative limb-associated infection after surgical revascularization. The fI scores were significantly higher in the patients with than without postoperative limb-associated infection (1.0 ± 0.2 vs 0.4 ± 0.1, respectively; p = 0.0033), indicating that an fI score of ≥1 was a risk factor for postoperative limb-associated infection. Perioperative therapeutic antibiotics significantly reduced the incidence of postoperative limb-associated infection compared with preventive antibiotics (0.0% vs. 44.8%, respectively; p = 0.0028) in the patients with CLTI who had an fI score of ≥1 after bypass surgery, although perioperative therapeutic antibiotics were not effective for patients with an fI score of 0.

CONCLUSION

Perioperative therapeutic antibiotics for patients with an fI score of ≥1 are beneficial for reducing the incidence of postoperative limb-associated infection after surgical revascularization.

Transvenous Intravascular Ultrasound-Guided Endovascular Treatment for Chronic Total Occlusion of the Infrainguinal Arteries

PURPOSE

To investigate the 1-year outcomes of transvenous intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided endovascular therapy (EVT) for chronic total occlusion (CTO) of the lower extremity arteries.

METHODS

Transvenous IVUS-guided EVT was performed in 44 patients (50 limbs) with CTO of the femoropopliteal arteries or tibioperoneal trunk. Treatment involved crossing a guidewire through the CTO under the guidance of both fluoroscopic and IVUS imaging, along with insertion of the IVUS catheter into a vein parallel to the target artery. Primary success rate, complications, and target lesion revascularization (TLR) at 12-month follow-up were investigated.

RESULTS

Successful recanalization, defined as grade 3 flow (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction score) and no flow-limiting dissection, was observed in 48 (96%) limbs. Two limbs with failed recanalization had a very long CTO lesion from the superficial femoral artery to below the knee. A bidirectional approach was selected in 11 (22%) limbs. Complications at the access site occurred in only 2 patients. The rate of freedom from TLR at 12 months was 77.9% (95% confidence interval 61.4 to 87.9).

CONCLUSION

Transvenous IVUS-guided EVT is safe and can provide optimal short-term results for EVT of CTO in the infrainguinal arteries. IVUS-guided EVT may be one of the most effective treatment strategies for CTO of the femoropopliteal arteries or tibioperoneal trunk.

Outcome of lower extremity revascularization for peripheral artery occlusive disease: is there a difference between men and women?

The incidence of peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAD) increases with age. Women represent a growing percentage of the elderly population who present with PAD. While speculation exists that gender affects outcome after revascularization procedures, the literature is confusing and often conflicting. This review compares outcomes by gender after open surgical and endovascular lower extremity revascularization (LER) procedures including: demographic differences, patency rates, limb salvage rates, long-term survival, perioperative complications and 30-day mortality. This review summarizes the existing data and discusses current influences on outcome after LER.