"Our patients had a similar average age (EV, 70 years and LEB, 71 years)," said Dr. Neville. "with similar rates of diabetes mellitus (EV 58 percent, LEB 41 percent) and chronic renal failure (EV 24 percent, LEB 21 percent)."

Researchers added that the EV procedures included 20 balloon angioplasties, 82 stent deployments, 30 atherectomies and 10 cryoplasties. Lesions treated in the lower extremity were found in the superficial femoral arteries (30 percent), and popliteal (19 percent) and tibial (51 percent) arteries with 2.8 lesions treated per patient. The LEB patients included 98 vein grafts and 44 using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) with a distal vein patch. Target arteries included 14 below knee popliteal, 46 anterior tibial, 41 posterior tibial and 41 peroneal.

"We are trying to determine the most appropriate scenarios for bypass and endovascular therapy, and our study demonstrated that initial wound size may be a consideration in choosing the method of revascularization for ischemic wounds," noted Dr. Neville.

SOURCE Society for Vascular Surgery