[Long-term results of vascular surgery of Lerish syndrome in patients with type II diabetes Mellitus].

We analyzed long-term results of vascular surgery in 199 patients with diabetes and chronic limb ischemia. At the time of the study mean age of patients was 64.7+1.2 years. They all had severe course of disease. Results showed that in the majority of patients good clinical effect after aorto-femoral reconstructions persisted over a long period of time. Patency of aorto-femoral bypass and limb salvage rate after 9 years equaled 72 and 79%, respectively. This was associated with improved quality of life. Surgery for severe limb ischemia (50 % of patients had critical ischemia) helped to preserve the limb and achieve sustainable increase of pain-free walking distance in 85 % of patients. However 5-year survival rate was 75%. The leading cause of death was myocardial infarction. This was indicative of the lack of prevention of progression of coronary artery disease. Thus, despite the presence of diabetes aorto-femoral reconstructions in most patients reliably and continuously prevented development of critical ischemia and preserved lower limbs. Active prophylaxis of cardiac complications is necessary for improvement of long-term survival of patients after vascular reconstructive surgery.