Prediction of limb salvage after therapeutic angiogenesis by autologous bone marrow cell implantation in patients with critical limb ischemia.

PURPOSE: Despite advances in therapeutic angiogenesis by bone marrow cell implantation (BMCI), limb amputation remains a major unfavorable outcome in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI). We sought to identify predictor(s) of limb salvage in CLI patients who received BMCI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nineteen patients with CLI who treated by BMCI were divided into two groups; four patients with above-the-ankle amputation by 12 weeks after BMCI (amputation group) and the remaining 15 patients without (salvage group). We performed several blood-flow examinations before BMCI. Ankle-brachial index (ABI) was measured with the standard method. Transcutaneous oxygen tension (TcPO2) was measured at the dorsum of the foot, in the absence (baseline) and presence (maximum TcPO2) of oxygen inhalation. (99m)technetium-tetrofosmin ((99m)Tc-TF) perfusion index was determined at the foot and lower leg as the ratio of brain. RESULTS: Maximum TcPO2 (p = 0.031) and (99m)Tc-TF perfusion index in the foot (p = 0.0068) was significantly higher in the salvage group than in the amputation group. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis identified maximum TcPO2 and (99m)Tc-TF perfusion index in the foot as having high predictive accuracy for limb salvage. CONCLUSION: Maximum TcPO2 and (99m)Tc-TF perfusion index in the foot are promising predictors of limb salvage after BMCI in CLI.