Surgical management of critical limb ischaemia in the French West Indies.

This retrospective study analyses the clinical presentation, surgical management and early outcome of 174 patients (mean age +/- SEM: 73 +/- 15 yrs) admitted for critical limb ischaemia. 145 (84%) had tissue loss at admission: toe gangrene or ischaemic ulcer in 77, and gangrene extending beyond the forefoot in 68. 87 primary limb amputations and 107 revascularisations were performed at iliofemoral (n = 20), suprapopliteal (n = 22) or infrapopliteal level. The postoperative mortality rate was 14% in the "Amputation" group and 9% in the "Revascularisation" group but the difference was not statistically significant. Infective complications were comparable in both groups, although 5 of 14 deaths after amputation were directly related to infection and all deaths after revascularisation resulted from cardiovascular complications. The early limb salvage rate after revascularisation was 82%. 19 secondary limb amputations were performed for bypass failure. Patients in whom primary amputations were required were older (p < 0.03) and had significantly higher rates of heart disease and nonambulatory status (respectively, 24 vs 17%, p < 0.05; and 37 vs 13%, p < 0.001) than patients in whom revascularisation was performed. Ischaemic rest pain and tissue loss confined to digit gangrene or ischaemic ulcer occurred more frequently than extensive gangrene in the "Revascularisation" group (p < 0.0001), while extensive gangrene extending beyond the forefoot occurred more frequently than ischaemic rest pain and tissue loss in the "Amputation" group (p < 0.0001). Late presentation of patients and enhanced tissue loss are probably the reasons for the higher primary amputation rate in our patients compared to that observed elsewhere. In patients amenable to revascularisation (56%), arterial reconstruction for critical limb ischaemia improves the chances of limb salvage.