BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) often exhibit long, diffuse, totally occluded and heavily calcified infrapopliteal (IP) lesions. This study evaluated limb salvage after peripheral excimer laser atherectomy (PELA) plus low-pressure balloon inflation (LPBI) without stent deployment in CLTI patients with severe IP disease. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 70 consecutive patients with 109 IP vessels who underwent PELA plus LPBI from 2010 to 2013. Technical success was defined as at least one IP straight-line flow being achieved below the malleolus. Binary logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with 6-month limb salvage. RESULTS: Of the 109 IP vessels, 100 (91.7%) were totally occluded, and none of the patients received a stent. Of the 70 patients, 20% were octogenarians, and 85.8% had a Rutherford-Becker class 5 and 6. The technical success rate was 87.1% and 6-month limb salvage rate was 78.6%. Rutherford score was negatively correlated with clinical success (adjusted odds ratio 0.24; p = 0.028). No immediate major cardiovascular events were recorded during admission. CONCLUSIONS: PELA plus LPBI may be a treatment option for complex IP lesions in patients with CLTI. Higher Rutherford class was correlated with a lower 6-month limb salvage rate. However, a large-scale study with a control group is needed to clarify our results.
