Ciculation and lymphatic systems Flashcards
Signs of chronic venous insufficiency
L - lipodermatosclerosis
E - eczema
G - gaps in the skin (ulceration)
S - swelling
Indications for preoperative Duplex USS of varicose veins?
- DVT history
- signs of chronic venous insufficiency
- recurrent varicose veins
- to clarify SSV or LSV incompetency
Varicose veins treatment
Conservative
- education (avoid prolonged standing and elevate legs)
- grade II graduated elastic compression stockings
- weight loss, regular exercise
Endovascular
- sclerotherapy - 1% sodium tetradecyl sulphate (liquid or foam)
- radiofrequency ablation (catheter in vein and heated to 120C)
- Endovascular ablation
Surgical
- Trendelenburg procedure (saphenofemoral ligation)
- multiple avulsons
- strippling from groin to upper calf
(post op - bandage tightly and elevate for 24 hours)
Syndrome associated with varicose veins
Kippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome - varicose veins - port wine stains - bony + soft tissue hypertrophy of limbs - significant oedema Parkes-Weber syndrome - multiple AV fistulae - limb hypertrophy - can lead to high output cardiac failure
Venous ulcer causes
Deep venous insufficiency
- Valvular disease: varicose veins, deep vein reflux, communicating vein reflux
- Outflow tract obstruction: post-DVT
- Muscle pump failure: primary (stroke, neuromuscular disease), secondary (musculoskeletal pathology/ankle injury)
Venous ulcer treatment
Non-surgical: 50-70% healed at 3mths, 80-90% at 12mths
- avoid trauma
- four-layer compression bandaging
- rest and leg elevation
- once healed, grade II compression stockings for life
Surgical
- if ulcer fails to heal, exclude other causes +/- biopsy
- debridement + split skin graft
- if due to primary varicose veins, treat them
Four-layer compression bandaging layers
- non-adherent dressing over ulcer plus wool bandage
- crepe bandage
- blue-line bandage
- adhesive bandage to prevent other layers slipping
How to measure ABPI
- inflate cuff over upper arm, measure systolic pressure with doppler at brachial artery
- inflate cuff over calf, measure systolic pressure with doppler at dorsalis pedis
- find doppler sound, inflate cuff till disappears, slowly deflate till sound restarts = sys pressure
- ankle/brachial = ABPI
Significance of ABPI
normal = 1
claudication 0.6-0.9
rest pain 0.3-0.6
impending gangrene 0.3 or less
What foot pathology are diabetics prone to?
- diabetic neuropathy
- peripheral occlusive arterial disease
- Charcot neuroarthropathy
- osteomyelitis
- foot ulceration
Can lead to amputation
Aetiology of diabetic foot ulcers
- neuropathic (45-60%)
- ischaemic (10%)
- mixed neuroischaemic (25-45%)
Diabetic neuropathy is due to (1) microvascular disease leading to nerve hypoxia, and/or (2) direct effects of hyperglycaemia on neuronal metabolism
Why might ABPI be normal/higher in diabetics?
Calcification of the walls of the vessels - prevents cuff compressing vessels = abnormally high ABPI.
Also seen in CRF
Differences in peripheral vascular disease in diabetics?
- Intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography indicated earlier.
- Aggressive treatment of infections
- Meticulous foot care + chiropodist
- Sepsis treated with surgical debridement
Are their any problems with diabetics undergoing angiography?
- if renal impairment, can be dramatically worsened by intra-arterial contrast
- well-hydrate patients with IV fluids peri-procedure
- stop metformin
Indications for amputation
4 D’s
- Dead (ischaemic): PVD, thromboangitis obliterans, AV fistulae
- Damaged (trauma): unsalvageable limb, burns, frostbite
- Dangerous (malignancy): bone, soft tissue
- Damn nuisance (infection/neuropathy): osteomyelitis, nec fasc, charcot neuropathy
Complications of amputations
Patients often have other medical problems which increases risk. Operative mortality 20%, 1 year 50% Early - psychological + social - haematoma + infection - DVT + PE - phatom limb pain - skin necrosis Late - osteomyelitis - stump ulceration - stump neuroma - fixed flexion deformity - difficulty mobilising - spurs + osteophyte formation
Intermittent claudication differential
Leg pain can be dividied into:
- Musculoskeletal: specific joint pathology e.g. OA
- Neurological: spinal stenosis (leading to spinal claudication)
- Vascular: intermittent claudication, DVT
Why do patients with rest pain typically get more severe pain at night?
Reduction in perfusion due to:
- reduced effect of gravity lying down
- reduced cardiac output at night
- dilation of skin vessels due to warm bedding
In which patients are AAA most common
- men
- > 60
- smokers
- hypertensives
- family history