A 72-year-old man was admitted to our hospital due to rest pain and gangrene on his left second foot digit. Angiography revealed continuous patency from the superficial femoral artery stent to the below-knee popliteal artery with a diffuse, occlusive lesion in the crural arteries. The distal portion of the lateral tarsal artery was patent. Popliteal to lateral tarsal artery bypass was performed, and an immediate amputation of the second foot digit resulted in secondary healing. Vascular surgeons should consider the distal portion of the lateral tarsal artery as an effective alternative target for infragenicular revascularization.
Keywords: distal bypass; foot salvage; paramalleolar artery.