The role of the vascular laboratory in the management of major lower limb amputations.

Since the assumption that vascular laboratory data improves the predictability of below-knee (BK) amputation healing is largely based on retrospective studies, a comparison between the success rates of BK amputations was performed between two consecutive 50-month periods. During the first period the level of major lower limb amputations was determined by clinical judgement alone whereas during the second period analysed pressure data from a vascular laboratory was available. During the first period 16 out of 48 amputations (33%) failed whereas only 10 out of 60 amputations (17%) failed during the second period of the study. The results from this comparison suggest that vascular laboratory data can be used to improve the success rate in below-knee amputations.