Treatment of chronic peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). Indications, level-specific treatment and follow-up regimen

The heterogeneous clinical manifestations of peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) necessitate a systematic stepwise diagnostic procedure as well as a stage-related and realistic target-oriented treatment. Although preventive medical aspects in all stages of the disease are currently considered the foundations of complementary treatment before, during and after every invasive revascularization, open surgical, interventional and hybrid procedures can be carried out to improve symptoms and to save the limbs. The choice of appropriate approaches and their combination is oriented to patient-specific factors and also the local expertise and infrastructure. All technical decisions should consider the alternative complementary treatment approaches in a balanced way. In addition to the PAOD-associated case volume of the hospital and the patient-specific risk factors, the adherence to guideline-compliant recommendations in particular is an important predictor of the long-term treatment results.