Limb ischaemia Flashcards
Cause of limb ischaemia
Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis
- Endothelial injury
- Chronic inflammation
- Lipid-laden foam cells produce GFs, cytokines and ROS
- lymphocyte and SMC recruitment - SM proliferation: conversion of fatty streak to atherosclerotic plaque with fibrous cap
Risk factors
Modifiable: • Smoking • HTN • Poor DM control • Hyperlipidaemia • Sedentary lifestyle
Non-modifiable • FH and PMH • Male • ↑ age • Genetic
Intermittent Claudication
- Cramping pain after walking a fixed distance
- Pain rapidly relieved by rest
- Calf pain = superficial femoral disease (commonest)
- Buttock pain = iliac disease
Critical Limb Ischaemia
Ankle pressure < 50mmHg and either:
- Pain at rest requiring analgesia for 2+ wks
- Especially at night
- Usually felt in the foot
- Pt. hangs foot out of bed
- Ulceration or gangrene
Leriche’s Syndrome
Atherosclerotic occlusion of abdominal aorta and iliacs
Triad:
- Buttock claudication and wasting
- Erectile dysfunction
- Absent femoral pulses
Buerger’s Disease
Thromboangiitis Obliterans
• Young, male, heavy smoker
• Acute inflammation and thrombosis of arteries and
veins in the hands and feet → ulceration and
gangrene - black fingers
Signs if limb ischaemia
- Loss of pulses and increased cap refill time
- Ulcers: painful, punched-out, on pressure points
- Onycholysis
- Skin: cold, pallor, atrophy, absent hair
- Venous guttering
- Muscle atrophy
- ↓ Buerger’s Angle
- +ve Buerger’s Sign
Buerger’s Angle
- ≥90: normal
- 20-30: ischaemia
- <20: severe ischaemia
Classification system for limb ischemia
Fontaine
Rutherford
Investigations for chronic limb ischaemia
Doppler Waveforms ABPI Walk test - maximum claudication distance Bloods Imaging
BP
CBG + HbA1c
Lipid profile
ECG
Abnormal doppler
- Mild stenosis: biphasic
* Severe stenosis: monophasic
Conservative Mx
Conservative: • ↑ exercise • Stop smoking • Wt. loss • Foot care • HTN, lipids, DM control - CVS risk reduction first line
Prognosis of chronic limb ischaemia
1/3 improve
1/3 stay the same
1/3 deteriorate
Medical Mx for chronic limb ischaemia
- Lifestyle advice
- Stain
- Antiplatelets: aspirin/ clopidogrel
- Optimise DM
- Analgesia: may need opiates
- Supervised exercise programme
Surgery:
• Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty ± stenting
• Bypass graft
• Amputation if can’t revascularise
Indications for surgical reconstruction
- V. short claudication distance (e.g. <100m)
- Symptoms greatly affecting pts. QoL
- Pain at rest
Acute limb ischaemia time frame
Acute limb ischaemia <14d
• Acute on chronic: worsening symptoms and signs <14d