ANGIOSOME-TARGETED LOWER LIMB REVASCULARIZATION FOR ISCHAEMIC FOOT WOUNDS

Abstract

In 1987, Taylor and Palmer recognized the clinical importance of angiosomes as three-dimensional units of tissues fed by a source artery. They defined six angiosomes of the foot and ankle originating from the posterior tibial artery (three angiosomes: the medial calcaneal artery angiosome, the medial plantar artery angiosome, and the lateral plantar artery angiosome), the anterior tibial artery (one angiosome: the anterior tibial artery and dorsalis pedis angiosome) and the peroneal artery (two angiosomes: the lateral calcaneal artery angiosome and anterior perforator artery angiosome). Direct revascularization of an artery feeding an area of the foot, the angiosome, affected by ischemic wound or gangrene is expected to have better chances of clinical success than revascularization of any other artery not directly feeding the affected anatomical area. However the results of angiosome-targeted revascularization are controversial.