[Deliberations on lumbar sympathectomy: years and practice on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of using the method in Russia].

The article deals with the literature data on history of and modern attitude to lumbar sympathectomy in treatment for occlusive lesions of lower-limb peripheral arteries. This is followed by analysing the experience of 1,764 operations both independent and those combined with vascular reconstructions over more than a 45-year period. A conclusion is drawn that lumbar sympathectomy remains an operation associated with minimal traumaticity and a low complication rate, thus for long years improving the quality of life and destiny of patients.