[Present place of lumbar sympathectomy in arteritis of the lower limbs (author's transl)].

A study of 75 lumbar sympathectomy helped the authors in specifying the indications of this operation for arteritis of the lower limbs. Lumbar sympathectomy is based on precise anatomical facts : para-vertebral sympathetic chain is usual but a collateral chain must be searched if the latter appears too thin. Lumbar sympathectomy can be performed alone or in association with reconstructive procedures. It is used alone in old people for its antalgic and moderately functional effect in accordance with their level of activity. Also it is used alone in cases of gangrene localized or pending or in the absence of a runoff vasculature. It is associated to repair if one wants to improve an incompetent peripheral perfusion. The authors record 79% of favourable results of which 52% were maintained when lumbar sympathectomy was used alone. In patients where direct vascular surgery is added, favorable results account for 82% of which 78% long lasting.