Mortality after major amputation in diabetic patients with critical limb ischemia who did and did not undergo previous peripheral revascularization Data of a cohort study of 564 consecutive diabetic patients

To evaluate the survival after major lower limb amputation, at a level either below (BKA) or above (AKA) the knee, in diabetic patients admitted to hospital because of critical limb ischemia (CLI). From January 1999 to December 2003, 564 diabetic patients were consecutively admitted to our Foot Center because of CLI and followed up until December 2005. A revascularization procedure was performed in 537 patients (95.2%): in 420 with peripheral angioplasty, in 117 with peripheral bypass graft. Neither endoluminal nor surgical revascularization was practicable in 27 (4.8%) patients. Major amputation was performed in a total of 55 (9.8%) patients. Among the clinical and demographic variables evaluated, age was significantly lower (67.3+/-10.1 vs. 76.7+/-10.4, P