Subintimal recanalization is safe and effective in treating chronic critical limb ischemia in selected patients.

Subintimal recanalization is a percutaneous technique that allows revascularization in patients with limb-threatening ischemia. It was first described by Bolia (Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 13;357-63:1990) but has not gained widespread use in the United States. Twenty-five patients with 32 threatened limbs were referred from a single surgeon's practice over a 23-month period. All patients were either high-risk surgical patients, due to severe medical comorbidities, or not surgical candidates due to poor target vessels, lack of appropriate conduit, or failed previous surgical revascularizations. The average age of patients was 69. There were 15 men and 10 women treated. Subintimal recanalization was immediately successful in 30 limbs. One peri-procedural death occurred, although this patient underwent a surgical bypass graft procedure in the same hospitalization. Three significant complications occurred (myocardial infarction, ventricular arrhythmia, and gastrointestinal hemorrhage). Primary patency is 83 per cent. Secondary patency is 90 per cent. Limb salvage rate is 88 per cent. Mean follow-up period is 10 months. Eight patients died in the follow-up period due to unrelated causes.