Abstract
In critical limb ischemia, the angiosome in three branches of the lower legoften changes location in the foot, supplying nutrition to the periphery througharterial-arterial connection.We compared foot wounds macroscopically and by angiography, examined their correlation to the angiosome and concurrently investigated the correlation between the regions of endovascular treatment (EVT) and the ulcer healing rate. A high rate of agreement (82.1%) was observed between the sites of ulceration and those of vascular occlusion in the foot. Moreover, the site of vascular patency after EVT and the ulcer-healing rate were analyzed. No significant difference was observed in the lower leg (91.7% in the direct group vs. 81.5% in the indirect group), whereas a significantly higher rate of cure was detected in the foot (96.6% in the direct group vs. 72.7% in the indirect group). These results suggest that an ulcer can be cured and major amputation avoided, as long as the patency of the feeding artery of the angiosome is maintained in a foot wound after EVT.
