BACKGROUND: Critical lower limb ischemia in the absence of a distal arterial bed can be treated by arterialization of the venous arch of the foot. OBJETIVE: The objective of this paper was to present the technique and the results of the arterialization of the venous arch of the foot with the in situ great saphenous vein. METHODS: Eighteen patients, 11 with atherosclerosis (AO), 6 with thromboangiitis obliterans (TO) and 1 with popliteal artery aneurysm thrombosis were submitted to venous arch arterialization. The in situ great saphenous vein was anastomosed to the best donor artery. Arterial flow derived from the venous system progresses through the vein whose valves were destroyed. The collateral vessels of the great saphenous vein are linked from the anastomosis to the medial malleolus and preserved from this point onward. RESULTS: Limb salvage was achieved in 10 (55.6%) patients, 5 with AO and 5 with TO. Seven (38.9%) patients were amputated, 5 with AO, 1 with TO and 1 with Ta. One (5.5%) patient died. CONCLUSION: Arterialization of the venous system of the foot should be considered for the salvage of limbs with critical ischemia in the absence of a distal arterial bed.
Thromboangiitis obliterans; limb salvation; temporal arterialization; limb amputation
