Vascular
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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of combined ipsilateral percutaneous iliac angioplasty and open infrainguinal surgical techniques for the treatment of patients with multilevel arterial occlusive disease. Combining two types of approaches in the peripheral vascular field is a less aggressive technique and may result in excellent early patency and limb salvage rates. We report our initial experience with a combined percutaneous endovascular iliac angioplasty and infrainguinal surgical reconstruction for patients with chronic lower extremity ischemia associated with multilevel arterial occlusive disease who presented with severe (disabling) lower limb claudication that significantly reduced quality of life, as well as patients with rest pain, nonhealing ulcers, and gangrene. ⋯ Combined vascular therapy may be used effectively in patients with chronic extremity ischemia owing to multiple levels of arterial occlusion and should be performed with good results. Technical success and early patency rates are excellent. The patients' symptoms improved and resistant ischemic ulcers healed within a short period of time.