Does knee replacement surgery lead to chronic limb ischemia?

Total knee replacement (TKR) may be associated with chronic limb ischemia (CLI) due to arterial injury intraoperatively. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of CLI after TKR surgery. Patients who received a unilateral TKR in 2003-2004 were identified from our database. Patients with diabetes mellitus and preexisting peripheral arterial disease were excluded. Patient assessment was by collection of demographic details, completion of the Oxford Knee Score, Short Form-12 Health Survey, and King's College Hospital's Vascular Quality of Life Questionnaire, and measurement of the ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI). Of the 209 eligible patients, 86 (41%) participated (median age, 73 years; 50% male). Five (5.8%) patients had a reduced ABPI compared with population norms of 4.6 to 7%. Patients with reduced ABPI measurements had higher Oxford Knee Scores, but no relationships between other variables were demonstrated. TKR surgery does not appear to increase the risk of CLI.