Editor's Choice – Impact of Endovascular Pedal Artery Revascularisation on Wound Healing in Patients With Critical Limb Ischaemia

Objective: The present study investigated the impact of endovascular pedal artery revascularisation (PAR) on the clinical outcomes of patients with critical limb ischaemia (CLI). Methods: This retrospective analysis of a single centre cohort included 239 patients who underwent endovascular revascularisation of infrapopliteal arteries for a chronic ischaemic wound. PAR was attempted in 141 patients during the procedure. After propensity score matching, there were 87 pairs of patients with and without PAR. Results: After the matching, the two groups showed balanced baseline clinical and lesion characteristics. PAR was achieved in 60.9% of the PAR group. Direct angiosome flow was more frequently obtained in the PAR group than in the non-PAR group (81.6% vs. 34.5%; p <.001). Subintimal angioplasty (47.1% vs. 29.9%; p =.019) and pedal–plantar loop technique (18.4% vs. 0%; p <.001) were more frequent in the PAR group. At the one year follow up, the PAR group showed greater freedom from major amputation (96.3% vs. 84.2%; p =.009). The wound healing rate, overall survival, major adverse limb event, and freedom from re-intervention did not differ significantly between the two groups. However, the patient subgroup with successful PAR showed a higher wound healing rate than the non-PAR group (76.0% vs. 67.0%; p =.031). In a multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model, successful PAR (hazard ratio [HR] 1.564, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.068–2.290; p =.022) was identified as an independent factor associated with improved wound healing, whereas gangrene (HR 0.659, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.471–0.923; p =.015), C reactive protein >3 mg/dL (HR 0.591, 95% CI 0.386–0.904; p =.015), and pre-procedural absence of pedal arch (HR 0.628, 95% CI 0.431–0.916; p =.016) were associated with impaired wound healing. Conclusion: Successful PAR significantly improved wound healing in patients with CLI. Thus, efforts should be made to revascularise the pedal arteries, especially when the pedal arch is completely absent.