Can lower limb vascular reconstruction be based on colour duplex imaging alone?

Objectives: To determine the safety and efficacy of Duplex scanning as the only imaging modality prior to lower limb vascular reconstruction. Design: Retrospective review. Setting: A single university vascular unit. Patients and methods: Review of all lower limb vascular reconstructions over a 2 year period. Results: Eighty-five limbs underwent vascular reconstruction based on colour Duplex alone. A wide range of revascularising operations were performed, including 29 cases of infragenicular reconstruction. In the latter cases, the findings of Duplex scanning were confirmed by on table pre-reconstruction angiography in 28 cases and the graft occlusion rate in the first month was 14%. There were no postoperative complications that could be attributed to a failure of preoperative Duplex imaging. Conclusion: Vascular reconstruction can be undertaken safely in patients with lower limb arterial disease on the basis of Duplex scanning alone.