The correlation of the society for vascular surgery wound, ischemia, and foot infection threatened limb classification with amputation risk and major clinical outcomes

Abstract

The Society for Vascular Surgery Wound, Ischemia, and foot Infection (WIfI) threatened limb classification more comprehensively describes the extent of limb threat in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia than many previous classification systems. Several centers have published 1-year amputation rates stratified by WIfI clinical stage. Stage 1 limbs have the lowest amputation risk, Stage 4 limbs have the highest, and Stages 2 and 3 have an intermediate risk. As WIfI clinical stage increases, wound healing time is longer, 1-year wound healing rate is lower, and reintervention rate, hospital costs, length of stay, and readmission rate all increase.

Keywords

• Amputation
• chronic limb-threatening ischemia
• diabetic foot ulcer
• peripheral artery disease
• revascularization