Vascular Flashcards
6ps of acute limb ischemia
→
features of
Pain (Sudden),
Pallor,
Pulselessness,
Paralysis,
Paraesthesia (Numbness),
Perishing cold.
◙ Acute limb ischemia is a surgical emergency that requires urgent
revascularisation (Angioplasty or Open surgery) in 4-8 hours to save a limb.
Thus, it needs to be referred urgently to a vascular surgeon.
In the presence of acute limb ischemia + Irregular pulse (likely due to
Arterial Fibrillation), the likely cause of this limb ischemia i
s → Embolus.
Painless, Pulsatile mass (swelling) →
Aneurysm
e.g. painless pulsatile mass near the groin → Femoral artery aneurysm.
Renal cell carcinoma can cause
Varicocele
IVC syndrome
→ Varicocele
“Bluish, bag of worms sensation, dragging pain or painless scrotal swelling”
→ Reassure or do surgery if severe persistent pain or infertility
Renal Cell Carcinoma can also cause
→ Inferior Vena Cava Syndrome
“Occlusion of IVC →
pitting, non-tender edema of the lower limbs
+ dilated
veins on the lower abdomen”.
Buerger’s disease [Thromboangiitis Obliterans]
◙ A small and medium vessel vasculitis.
◙ Strongly associated with smoking – especially in Young men 25-45 YO.
◙ Features
√ Extremity ischaemia:
intermittent claudication,
rest pain,
ischaemic ulcers.
√ Superficial thrombophlebitis
√ Raynaud’s phenomenon
◙ STOP SMOKING
A 29 YO male was admitted for severe right calf pain. This pain has been
increasing over the las 3 months. He is smoker but with no Hx of HTN or DM.
O/E → loss of dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial pulsation + Non-healing ulcer
over the right first metatarsophalangeal joint.
The likely Dx → Thromboangiitis Obliterans (Buerger’s Disease).
Bergers
And buegers
◘ Buerger’s → Vascular → Thromboangiitis Obliterans
“Typically, a young man with a
strong Hx of smoking presenting with chronic
limb ischemia e.g.
no pulse, ischemic non healing ulcer, claudication and rest
leg pain”.
◘ Berger’s → IgA Nephropathy
“Typically, a young adult with haematuria 1-2 days after an URTI
66 YO smoker and hypertensive patient presents with a sudden onset
weakness of the right arm with dysphasia that resolved within 24 hours.
♦ The likely Dx → Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA). (Resolved within 24 hours)
♦ The best next modality → Carotid Doppler Scanning
Carotid duplex should be done within 2 weeks of admission to check for carotid
artery stenosis to assess for the need of carotid endarterectomy.
carotid endarterectomy.
Carotid endarterectomy?
When to perform ?
m √ If internal carotid artery stenosis is ≥ 50% in ♂ (Men)
√ If internal carotid artery stenosis is ≥ 70% in ♀ (Women)
An elderly with recurrent episodes of TIAs and Loss of Conscious.
The likely reason → Carotid artery stenosis.
√ Usually,
♦ AF is an underlying cause of Strokes.
♦ Carotid stenosis is an underlying cause of TIAs with LOC.
Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS)
• It is a condition in which there is compression of the nerves, arteries, or veins
in the passageway from the lower neck to the armpit.
• There are three main types: neurogenic, venous, and arterial.
• The neurogenic type is the most common and presents with pain, weakness,
and occasionally loss of muscle at the base of the thumb.
• The venous type results in swelling, pain, and possibly a bluish coloration of
the arm.
The arterial type results in pain, coldness, and paleness of the arm.
• Sometimes, a pulsatile subclavian aneurysm might be seen.
A 42 YO man has pain below the right clavicle with a pulsatile mass just below
the right clavicle
. He has a shooting pain and reduced sensation down the
right arm. His right hand is a bit cold and shows discoloration
.
The likely Dx → Thoracic outlet syndrome.
• Aortic dissection is a rare but serious cause of chest pain (radiates to back).
• Pathophysiology
Tear in the tunica intima of the wall of the aorta.
• Associations
√ Hypertension: the most important risk factor
√ Trauma: e.g., after a road traffic accident.
√ Bicuspid aortic valve
√ collagens: Marfan’s syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
Turner’s and Noonan’s syndrome
√ pregnancy
√ syphilis
Aortic dissection features
• Features:
√ Chest pain: typically, sudden severe, radiates through to the back/ shoulders
(eg, interscapular pain) and ‘tearing’ in nature.
√ Other Features: Tachycardia, Tachypnea, Hypotension.
Widening of the mediastinum.
√ X-ray may show →
√ aortic regurgitation.
√ Sometimes: a big difference of blood pressure between right and left arms.
√ Hx of hypertension or trauma (as risk factors).
Note that hypertension is a risk factor, while hypotension is a presenting sign.
Other features may result from the involvement of specific arteries.
For example, coronary arteries → angina,
spinal arteries → paraplegia,
distal aorta → limb ischaemia.
Investigations:
Classification of aortic dissection
CT angiography √ If hemodynamically stable → (definitive).
√ If unstable (eg, SBP < 90) → Trans-oesophageal echocardiogram (in theatre).
the majority of patients have no or non-specific ECG changes. In a minority of
patients, ST segment elevation may be seen in the inferior leads
• Classification
√ Stanford classification
type A – ascending aorta, 2/3 of cases
type B – descending aorta, distal to left subclavian origin, 1/3 of cases
√ DeBakey classification
type I – originates in ascending aorta, propagates to at least the aortic arch and
possibly beyond it distally
type II – originates in and is confined to the ascending aorta
type III – originates in descending aorta, rarely extends proximally but will
extend distally
Example 1,
A 77-year-old woman presents to the ER with:
Severe interscapular pain that started around 10 hours ago.
The pain was
sudden and quick in onset. She has difficulty in breathing.
Vital signs show:
normal temperature,
tachycardia (102 bpm), hypotension (90/60 mmHg0),
Tachypnea (26 breaths/minute). normal O2 saturation (98%). ECG shows
normal sinus tachycardia.
1.Aortic dissection.
2. CT angiography •
The most likely Dx →
• The most appropriate investigation → (definitive).
• If this patient was hemodynamically unstable (eg, cardiac ischemia, systolic
blood pressure < 90) → Trans-oesophageal echocardiogram.
√ Note: in aortic dissection, around 30% of patient would have normal ECG
features. The rest may have features of ischemia.
Acute Severe central chest pain increasing in intensity
Tachycardia and hypotension
+
+
+
Sweating, SOB.
Chest X-ray → Wide mediastinum
Aortic dissection
Example 3,
Acute Severe crushing chest pain radiates to shoulders and back.
Tachycardia and hypotension
+
+
+
Sweating, SOB.
Long, slender limbs and fingers
→ Thoracis Aortic Dissection
(Long, slender limbs and fingers → Marfan’s – a common association)
Example 4,
Sudden severe substernal pain.
Tachycardia and hypotension
+
+
+
Hx of HTN and DM
Not responding to nitrates
→ Thoracis Aortic Dissection
Example 5,
Acute Severe chest pain radiates to both shoulders. Hx of HTN
+
SOB
+
Cold peripheries and paraplegia
→ Thoracis Aortic Dissection
Example 6,
Road traffic accident
Acute chest and back pain
Tachycardia
+
+
+
+
Sweating, tachypnea.
Difference between BP in both arms.
What would chest X-ray reveal mostly in this case?
→ Wide mediastinum
Axillary Lymph nodes clearance (removal) during radical mastectomy can lead to →
(Redness and Swelling) ± Frozen shoulder.
Upper Limb Lymphoedema Rx → Physiotherapy and arm exercise
Claudication pain in Peripheral Arterial Disease
The level of ischemia:
♦ Aorto-iliac artery occlusion:
Pain in buttocks, thighs ± Erectile Dysfunction (Leriche Syndrome)
♦ Common iliac artery occlusion:
→ pain extends to just above inguinal ligament.
♦ Femoral artery occlusion:
→ pain in leg (below inguinal ligament). Femoral pulse is felt but the pulses
below it are not felt.
♦ Femoro-politeal
→ Pain is below knee.