Buerger's Syndrome

Question 1

What is Buerger’s disease?

Answer 1

Buerger’s disease is a non-atherosclerotic vasculitis caused by occlusion in small and medium-sized arteries.

Question 2

Clinical features

Who does it usually present in?

How does it usually present?

Answer 2

It is most common in young male smokers of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern origin.

It typically presents as an acutely ischaemic limb, without a background of peripheral claudication.

Question 3

also known as

Answer 3

thromboangiitis obliterans

Question 4

Investigations

Answer 4

Investigations are aimed at excluding differentials (such as atherosclerotic disease and autoimmune disease).

Arterial Doppler will confirm the absence of peripheral pulses in the affected limb.

Further imaging (such as with arterial duplex or CT/MR angiography) will show non-atherosclerotic occlusion.

Martorell’s sign on arterial duplex describes the ‘corkscrew’-shaped collateral vessels characteristic of Buerger’s disease.

Question 5

Management

Answer 5

Stop smoking

Vasodilator like nifedipine