title: [Indications and results of endovascular therapy of critical limb ischemia].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is the most severe form of peripheral artery occlusive disease and is characterized by high amputation, morbidity and mortality rates. Therefore, revascularization is the essential step in therapy for retention of the affected limb.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Although for a long time bypass surgery represented the gold standard in the treatment of CLI, in recent years there has been a disproportionate increase of endovascular treatment despite the lack of level-data. In this review the indications and results of endovascular therapy of CLI are presented on the basis of published data.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature search was carried out to identify publications that compared the results of endovascular and surgical therapy as well as observational studies about different endovascular techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The BASIL study provided the highest quality data comparing endovascular and surgical treatment of CLI. The long-term data of the BASIL trial showed that apart from patients with a suitable vein and a life expectancy of more than 2 years, first line endovascular therapy is equivalent to surgical treatment. The equivalence could also be demonstrated in a meta-analysis comparing operative and endovascular treatment of CLI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CLI is a disease with high mortality and morbidity risks. Due to the comparable amputation-free survival times with lower complication rates in the published data, in most patients an endovascular first strategy in experienced centers can be justified.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Vaskuläre und Endovaskuläre Chirurgie, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675, München, Deutschland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Vaskuläre und Endovaskuläre Chirurgie, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675, München, Deutschland.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ludwig
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Vaskuläre und Endovaskuläre Chirurgie, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675, München, Deutschland. hheckstein@web.de.
authors.forename: H-H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Eckstein
mesh_terms: D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000401:mortality* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D023821:Limb Salvage / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008136:Longevity; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000098:blood supply*; D011379:Prognosis; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Angioplasty; Critical limb ischemia; Endovascular interventions; Peripheral artery occlusive disease; Stent