Trends in the national outcomes and costs for claudication and limb threatening ischemia: Angioplasty vs bypass graft

PTA has altered the treatment paradigm for lower limb ischemia with an increase in costs and procedures. It is unclear if this represents an increase in patients or number of treatments per patient. Although mortality is slightly lower with PTA for all indications, amputation rates for limb-threat patients appear higher, as does the average cost. Longitudinal studies are necessary to determine the appropriateness of PTA in both claudication and limb-threat patients. The mortality benefit with PTA may be ultimately lost, and average costs elevated, if multiple interventions are performed on the same patients.