A new system that switches blood flow from a blocked artery in the leg to a nearby vein showed promising early results as an alternative to lower-limb amputation.

The system, developed by Paris-based LimFlow SA, was tested on seven elderly diabetic patients (five women, median age 85) with end-stage critical limb ischemia (CLI) who had exhausted all other treatment options. Findings were reported in the July issue of the Journal of Endovascular Therapy.

At 30 days, there were no deaths, above-the-ankle amputations or major reinterventions. Five of seven patients achieved complete wound healing one year after the procedure, and four had done so at six months. The median healing time was 4.6 months.

The procedure involves placing a stent between an artery and vein using ultrasound-guided catheters.

“PDVA (percutaneous deep vein arterialization) is an innovative approach for treating no-option CLI and represents an alternative option for the ‘desert foot,’ potentially avoiding major amputation,” wrote the authors of the Journal of Endovascular Therapy report, including lead researcher Steven Kum, MD, of Changi General Hospital in Singapore.

“Our results demonstrate its safety and feasibility, with promising early clinical results in this small cohort.”