Angioplasty equals bypass surgery outcomes in limb ischaemic trial:

Angioplasty when used as a treatment for severe limb ischaemia yields similar outcomes to bypass surgery, according to what is claimed to be the first study to formally validate the percutaneous approach as an acceptable option for patients with the disease. The 452-patient, multicentre UK trial, called BASIL, found that after six months, the strategies did not differ in amputation-free survival outcomes. In the short-term, angioplasty was associated with less illness, lower cost and shorter hospital stays, compared with surgery. However, the technique had a higher failure and re-intervention rate than surgery. The findings appear in The Lancet (December 3).