Objective perfusion targets for wound healing (toe pressure, TcPO2, SPP) and their use

in Atherosclerosis and Risk Factors

Applied

Type

Modification

Confidence

92%

Created

Apr 19, 2026

Evidence

1 source

Rationale

The stale 2025 ACC scientific statement citation [@acc2025-h] was replaced with the superseding 2026 ACC/AHA lower extremity peripheral artery disease guideline [@acc2026] for both claims it supported in this section. The newer guideline covers the same recommendations regarding TP and TcPO₂ as preferred diagnostic tools over ABI in patients with diabetes and MAC, and their use as hemodynamic targets for revascularization. No content was removed; only the citation attribution was updated to reflect the current authoritative guideline. The existing [@conte2019] citation was preserved as it supports distinct foundational claims about critical ischemia thresholds.

Content Changes

Objective perfusion measurements are essential for assessing tissue viability and guiding revascularization in chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI). Toe pressure (TP) <30 mmHg or transcutaneous oxygen tension (TcPO₂) <25–30 mmHg indicates critical ischemia with low likelihood of wound healing without revascularization (Conte 2019)📄. In patients with diabetes, TP and TcPO₂ are more reliable diagnostic tools than the ankle-brachial index (ABI), which may be falsely elevated due to medial arterial calcification (MAC) (ACC 2026). Skin perfusion pressure (SPP) <30–40 mmHg similarly predicts poor healing. These thresholds should be used to establish hemodynamic targets for revascularization and to reassess nonhealing wounds after intervention [@conte2019; @acc2026].