title: Infra-inguinal arterial reconstruction for peripheral arterial disease: the Curaçao experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence and treatment of peripheral arterial disease in the Caribbean is not well documented. The aim of this study was to review the results from a small hospital in the Caribbean.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-hundred and eight infra-inguinal arterial reconstructions on 90 patients were retrospectively reviewed Patients were classified according to the categories suggested by the Ad Hoc Committee on Reporting Standards of the Joint Councils of the Society for Vascular Surgery. Follow-up ranged from 0 to 103.1 months. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to visualize survival, limb salvage rates and primary and secondary patency rates. Cox regressions were used to identify potential risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The limb salvage rates were 74.5% after one year and 71.4% after five years. Overall primary patency rates were 67.0 % after one year, 63.4% after three years and 50.8 % after five years. Overall secondary patency rates were 86.4% after one year and 75.1% after five years. The primary patency rate for autologous saphenous vein was 82.4% (SE 7.5%) after five years. The primary patency rates for prosthetic grafts were 62.1% (SE 8.5%) after one year; 56.9% (SE 9.2%) at three years and 37.9% (SE 16.7%) after five years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Infra-inguinal arterial bypass surgery is feasible in small Caribbean hospitals showing results comparable to major studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St Elisabeth Hospital, Curaçao. caquetio@hotmail.com
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Tromp
authors.forename: J E C
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: van Leeuwen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fieuws
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D023821:Limb Salvage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009427:Netherlands Antilles / Q000453:epidemiology; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D015995:Prevalence; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014654:Vascular Patency