[Diagnostic and therapeutic policy in gerontological patients with atherosclerotic lesions of lower limb].

Discussed herein are priorities of appropriate application of a special instrumental examination of the arterial bed of the lower extremities in elderly and aged patients presenting with chronic critical ischaemia on the background ofatherosclerosis obliterans. Also analysed are the findings ofan ultrasonographic examination of the lower-limb arterial system as afundamental methodfor diagnosis of an atherosclerotic lesion thereoffollowed by comparing the findings of the preoperative examination with the intraoperative data obtained during revision of the femoropopliteal segment. The obtained results made it possible to formulate conclusions on the preferable use ofultrasonographyfor examining gerontological patients suffering from lower limb chronic critical ischaemia as a simple, rapid, informative, and most importantly, non-invasive method, which is extremely importantfor elderly and aged people. It is underlined that in a series of cases contrast-enhanced aortoangiography can be used for examining the vascular status in gerontological patients; however, preference should still be given to an ultrasonographic examination of the lower-limb arterial bed or even direct visualisation of the affected arterial segment during intraoperative revision thereof.