Limb salvage by femoral profundaplasty.

One hundred and seven profundaplasties have been performed for rest pain or gangrene due to advanced arterial degeneration below the inguinal ligament. Local anaesthesia was used for 78 operations. There were 19 early failures (2 deaths and 17 amputations) and 16 later amputations. During 4-5 years of follow-up, 25 other patients have died. The results for diabetic gangrene were worse than for other indications.