“It is time to question whether patients with end-stage below-the-knee peripheral arterial disease should not be treated primarily with deep vein arterialisation,” Arne Schwindt (Münster, Germany) avers in an interview with Vascular News.
Schwindt was speaking at this year’s Leipzig Interventional Course (LINC 2023; 6–9 June, Leipzig, Germany) ahead of giving a talk on whether deep vein arterialisation offers hope for patients with ‘no-option’ chronic limb-threatening ischaemia (CLTI), or is merely hype.
Based on his clinical experience, Schwindt shares the opinion that this is “a procedure in evolution”.
He also considers the topic of unnecessary amputations in these patients, underlining the fact that amputation without angiography “still happens”. “It is 2023 and this is something that should not happen anymore.”
Finally, Schwindt shares his thoughts on multidisciplinary teams in this space, highlighting the importance of good communication, but sharing the overarching message: “A patient’s foot can be lost over the weekend, and you need a team—whether multi- or monodisciplinary—that takes care of the patient 24/7.”
