title: Femorotibial reconstructions for chronic critical leg ischaemia: influence on outcome by diabetes, gender and age.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse the influence of risk factors on the outcome of femorotibial reconstructions for chronic critical leg ischaemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A longitudinal observational study of patients undergoing femorotibial reconstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  A regional hospital and an academic referral centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and eighty-eight patients undergoing 209 reconstructions to the tibial vessels for chronic critical leg ischaemia, 149 of them with in situ vein grafts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Graft patency, leg salvage and survival rates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Severity of preoperative ischaemia influenced the immediate outcome of reconstruction. Increasing age did not influence graft patency, leg salvage or survival rates. A combination of female sex and diabetes was associated with low graft patency and leg salvage (52% and 42% at 18 months). Diabetes was associated with a decreased survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With proper patient selection, patency and leg salvage rates in older (> 80 years) patient groups with multiple risk factors justify an active reconstruction policy.
authors.affiliation: Vasa Central Hospital, Surgical Department, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luther
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lepäntalo
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016909:Tibial Arteries; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014654:Vascular Patency