Pathology of peripheral vascular disease Flashcards
True aneurysm
Involves all 3 layers of the artery (intima, media and adventitious) or the attenuated wall of the heart)
False aneurysm
Is a wall defect leading to the formation of an extra vascular hematoma that communicates with the intramuscular space “pulsating hematoma)
In a pseudo aneurysm involving the arterial dissections we see pressurized blood gains entry to the arterial wall through
A surface defect and then pushes apart underlying layers
Aneurysms are classified by macroscopic shape and size
- Secular aneurysm
2. Fusiform aneurysm
Spherical outpouchings, ranging from 5 to 20 cm in diameter, involving only a portion of the vessel wall and often contain thrombus
Saccular aneurysm
Diffuse, circumferential dilutions of long vascular segment, put to 2o cm in diameter; these most commonly involve the aortic arch, the abdominal aorta or the iliac arteries
Fusiform aneurysm
The most important predisposing conditions are for an aortic aneurysm:
- Atherosclerosis
- Cystic medial degeneration
- Other conditions that weaken vessel wall such as trauma, congenital defects, vasculitis and infection
Vascular disease develops through two principal mechanisms:
- Narrowing or complete obstruction though either a progressive process like atherosclerosis or an acute event like thrombosis or embolism
- Weakening of vessel walls such as in a dilation or rupture
Diseases of the arterial system
- Atherosclerosis
2. Aneurysms and dissections
Progressive narrowing of the carotid arteries by atherosclerosis leads to Carotid stenosis
Carotid atherosclerosis
Where is the most common site of plaque build up
Bifurcation
carotid stenosis increases the risk of stroke by
- narrowing the artery and reducing blood flow to the brain
- blood clot formation
- plaque deposits rupture and become lodged on a downstream smaller artery
carotid stenosis is asymptomatic or what?
it is asymptomatic and usually the first symptom is a TIA
TIA typically last a couple of minutes and then resolve completely thus they can be ignored
NOOO!
warning sign of an ischemic stroke and permanent brain injury
ischemic stroke symptoms
- drooping face
- vision problems
- difficulty speaking
- paralysis of one side of body
- weakness/numbness in an arm/leg