RESUMEN
Untreated critical lower limb ischemia most commonly leads to amputation. Successful revascularization will reduce the amputation rate in patients presenting with CLI. Two general techniques of revascularization exist: open surgical procedures and endovascular intervention. Endovascular revascularization is less invasive, less costly, needs no anesthesia [General or spinal] and has a low incidence of complications. This study was aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of balloon angioplasty as an option for revascularization of CLI patients. 30 Patients with critical limb ischemia treated with P.T.A. of the infra-inguinal vessels in vascular surgery unit in El-Hussein university hospital over one year according to clinical and angiographic findings. Clinical findings include rest pain, ulceration and /or gangrene while angiographic findings confirm stenosis or occlusion in the infra-inguinal arteries. Ankle brachial pressure index is recorded. Technical success was achieved in 93.33% patients while clinical success in the form of improvement of rest pain and increase in healing of ulcers was achieved in 21 Patients [70%]. The complications in the procedure were low and only 2 Patients had done above knee amputation. According to our results,CLI patients with lesions categorized as TASC A and B, irrespective of their co-morbid conditions, should be considered for percutaneous treatment as afirst line treatment. PTA as the first choice revascularization procedure for CLI is feasible, safe and effective for limb salvage, with low complications rate