Claudication in the setting of plethysmographic criteria for resting ischemia: is surgery justified?

Objective noninvasive criteria for resting ischemia are sometimes found in patients with milder clinical complaints. If noninvasive information can predict irrevocable progression to resting ischemia, instances of tissue loss theoretically could be prevented by early intervention. Accordingly, we investigated the clinical outcome in 51 claudicators with pulse volume recorder and/or ankle-brachial index (ABI) criteria for ischemia at rest. Patients with type IV (markedly blunted) or type V (flat) ankle or transmetatarsal pulse volume recordings and/or ABI < 0.5 and accompanying claudication were identified. Resting ischemia and/or tissue necrosis developed in 29% of patients and necessitated vascular reconstruction within 36 months. One patient had a primary above-knee amputation at a different institution and 14 patients underwent successful revascularization. In 3 of 14 patients, reconstruction was accompanied by digit or transmetatarsal amputation. No limbs were lost in the revascularized group. Noninvasive criteria for resting ischemia in patients with claudication alone portend a high rate of progression to resting ischemic symptoms. At present the use of clinical criteria and careful follow-up would permit a high rate of foot and limb salvage in those whose ischemia progresses and would prevent unnecessary surgery in the remaining patients. Further prospective definition of patients at risk for progression of ischemia might help prevent tissue loss in selected patients.