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Purpose: Immediate revascularization is required for patients with critical lower extremity ischemia, but sometimes only nonoperative treatments are performed due to multilevel arterial occlusive lesions, poor outflow tracts, deteriorated general conditions, and severe associated diseases. We undertook this study to detrmine the long-term results of nonoperative treatments for patients with critical lower extremity ischemia. Method: From January 1992 to July 2002, among the patients with lower extremity arterial disease who visited the Department of Surgery at Kyung Hee Medical Center, 72 patients with critical lower extremity ischemia who had been treated with only conservative managements were chosen. Medical records were reviewed retrospectively and telephone interviews were performed. We assessed the functional outcome of the salvaged limb according to the recommended scale for gauging changes in clinical status, the 1997 revised version. Result: There were 63 men and 9 women (M : F=7 : 1), and mean age was 70.1 years. At median follow-up of 64.7 months, amputation rate was 27.8%, limb salvage rate was 71.9%, and the mortality rate was 20.8%. Cerebrovascular attacks (40%) and ischemic heart disease (27%) were the major causes of death. Underlying disease were diabetes (65.3%), hypertension (54.2%), ischemic heart disease (11.1%), and previous cerebrovascular attacks (13.9%). Clinical categories of involved patients were grade Ⅱ (ischemic rest pain) in 80.5%, and grade Ⅲ (tissue loss) in 19.5%. In survivors with limb salvage, functional outcomes were +3 in 12.5%, +2 in 26.8%, +1 in 35.7%, 0 in 23.2%, and -1 in 1.8%. Conclusion: The long-term results of this study suggest that nonoperative treatments for patients with critical lower extremity ischemia can achieve a higher limb salvage rate and significant improvements in the functional outcomes of salvaged limbs.
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