Extensive revascularization in patients with "nonreconstructible" vascular disease.

: Elderly patients with severely ischemic lower extremities should undergo thorough noninvasive and angiographic evaluation. Although the visualization of a small nongraftable vessels in the lower extremity is a contraindication to an extensive limb salvage procedure, the inability to visualize angiographically any distal vessels in the lower extremity is not a contraindication. Patients with a severely ischemic but viable lower extremity and angiographic nonvisualization of any distal vessels of the lower extremity should be considered potential candidates for surgical exploration and possible salvage by simultaneous inflow and outflow procedures.