Vascular surgery Flashcards
Leg Ulcers
what are the 4 common types
- venous ulcers
- arterial ulcers
- diabetic foot ulcers
- pressure ulcers
Leg Ulcers
why do arterial ulcers occur
insufficient blood supply to the skin due to peripheral arterial disease
Leg Ulcers
why do venous ulcers occur
due to the pooling of blood and waste products in the skin secondary to venous insufficiency
Leg Ulcers
what are mixed ulcers
a combination of arterial and venous disease causing the ulcer
Leg Ulcers
what is an important complication of diabetic foot ulcers
osteomyelitis (infection in the bone)
Leg Ulcers
why are diabetic foot ulcers more common in pts with diabetic neuropathy
- if no sensation, less likely to realise they’ve injured feet or have poorly fitting shoes
- damage to small and large blood vessels impairs the blood supply and wound healing
- poor healing and ulceration due to raised blood sugar, immune system changes and autonomic neuropathy
Leg Ulcers
whom do pressure ulcers typically occur in
pts with reduced mobility, where prolonged pressure on particular areas (e.g. sacrum whilst sitting) lead to skin breaking down
Leg Ulcers
why do pressure ulcers occur
reduced blood supply and localised ischaemia
reduced lymph drainage
deformation of the tissues under pressure
Leg Ulcers
what measures are taken to prevent pressure ulcers
- individual risk assessments
- regular repositioning
- special inflating mattresses
- regular skin checks
- protective dressings and creams
Leg Ulcers
what tool is used to estimate a pt’s risk of developing a pressure ulcer
the Waterlow Score
Leg Ulcers
features of arterial ulcers
- occur distally (toes, dorsum of foot)
- assc w/ peripheral arterial disease: absent pulses. pallor, intermittent claudication
- smaller and deeper than venous ulcers
- well defined borders
- punched out appearance
- pale due to poor blood supply
- less likely to bleed
- painful (worse at night when lying horizontally)
- lowering legs improve pain
Leg Ulcers
venous ulcer features
- occur in gaiter area
- assc w/ chronic venous changes: hyperpigmentation, venous eczema, lipodermatosclerosis
- occur after a minor injury to leg
- larger and more superficial than arterial ulcers
- irregular, gently sloping border
- more likely to bleed
- less painful than arterial ulcers
- pain relieved by elevation and worse on lowering the leg
Leg Ulcers
inx
- ABPI
- bloods: infection + co-morbidities
- charcoal swabs: determine organism
- skin biopsy: where skin cancer is suspected
Leg Ulcers
mnx of arterial ulcers
same as peripheral arterial disease
urgent referral to vascular to consider surgical revascularisation
If the underlying arterial disease is effectively treated, the ulcer should heal rapidly
Leg Ulcers
whom may pts require a referral to if they have venous ulcers
- Vascular surgery: where mixed or arterial ulcers are suspected
- Tissue viability / specialist leg ulcer clinics in complex or non-healing ulcers
- Dermatology where an alternative diagnosis is suspected
- Pain clinics
- Diabetic ulcer services
Leg Ulcers
what does good wound care involve in venous ulcers
- cleaning the wound
- debridement (removing dead tissue)
- dressing the wound
Leg Ulcers
trx for venous ulcers
- compression therapy (after arterial disease is excluded with an ABPI
- PO pentoxifylline can improve healing in venous ulcers
- abx
- analgesia
first-line treatment for superficial thrombophlebitis
NSAIDs
Buerger Disease
aka
thromboangiitis obliterans
Buerger Disease
what is it
an inflammatory condition that causes thrombus formation in the small and medium-sized blood vessels in the distal arterial system (affecting the hands and feet)
Buerger Disease
whom does it typically effect
men aged 25-35
smokers
Buerger Disease
notable features
- younger than 50 y
- not having RFs for atherosclerosis other than smoking
Buerger Disease
presentation
- painful, blue discolouration to the fingertips or tips of toes
- pain worse at night
- may progress to ulcers gangrene + amputation
Buerger Disease
what is a typical finding on angiograms
corkscrew collaterals (new collateral vessels form to bypass the affected arteries)
Buerger Disease
mnx
- stop smoking (most important)
- IV iloprost
Buerger Disease
mnx: what is IV iloprost
a prostacyclin analogue that dilates blood vessels
Peripheral Arterial Disease
what is it
narrowing of the arteries supplying the limbs and periphery, reducing the blood supply to these areas
usually refers to the lower limbs, resulting in symptoms of claudication
Peripheral Arterial Disease
what is Intermittent claudication
a sx of ischaemia in a limb
occurs during exertion and relieved by rest
crampy, achy pain in calf, thigh or buttock muscles
Peripheral Arterial Disease
what is critical limb ischaemia
end-stage of peripheral arterial disease, where there is an inadequate supply of blood to a limb to allow it to function normally at rest.
Peripheral Arterial Disease
features of critical limb ischaemia
- pain at rest
- non-healing ulcers and gangrene
- significant risk of losing the limb
hanging their legs out of bed at night to ease the pain
Peripheral Arterial Disease
what is Acute limb ischaemia
rapid onset of ischaemia in a limb.
Peripheral Arterial Disease
what is acute limb ischaemia typically due to
thrombus (clot) blocking the arterial supply of a distal limb
Peripheral Arterial Disease
what is the difference between necrosis and gangrene
necrosis: death of tissue
gangrene: same but specifically due to an inadequate blood supply
Peripheral Arterial Disease
which medical co-morbidities increase the risk of atherosclerosis
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Chronic kidney disease
- Inflammatory conditions: RA
- Atypical antipsychotic medications
Peripheral Arterial Disease
features of acute limb ischaemia
Pain Pulseless Perishingly cold Pallor Paralysis Paraesthesia
Peripheral Arterial Disease
what time of day is critical limb ischaemia worse
night when the leg is raised as gravity no longer helps pull blood into the foot
Peripheral Arterial Disease
when does Leriche Syndrome occur
when there is occlusion in the distal aorta or proximal common iliac artery
Peripheral Arterial Disease
what is the clinical triad of Leriche Syndrome
- thigh/buttock claudication
- absent femoral pulses
- male impotence
Peripheral Arterial Disease
RF signs on examination
- tar staining on fingers
- xanthomata
Peripheral Arterial Disease
signs of CVD
- missing limbs/digits after previous amputations
- midline sternotomy scar (previous CABG)
- scar on the inner calf for saphenous vein harvesting (previous CABG)
- Focal weakness suggestive of a previous stroke
Peripheral Arterial Disease
what can you use to accurately assess the pulses when they are difficult to palpate.
hand-held Doppler
Peripheral Arterial Disease
signs of arterial disease on inspection
- Skin pallor
- Cyanosis
- Dependent rubor (a deep red colour when the limb is lower than the rest of the body)
- Muscle wasting
- Hair loss
- Ulcers
- Poor wound healing
- Gangrene (breakdown of skin and a dark red/black change in colouration)
Peripheral Arterial Disease
what test is used to assess for peripheral arterial disease in the leg.
Buerger’s Test
Peripheral Arterial Disease
describe Buerger’s Test
- pt lies on back
- lift legs to 45 degrees for 2 min
- look for pallor –> PAD
- sit pt up with legs hanging over side of bed
- look at colour of legs
Peripheral Arterial Disease
what does a Buerger’s angle of 30 degrees mean
the legs go pale when lifted to 30 degrees.
Peripheral Arterial Disease
what colour will legs go when hanging off bed in buerger test in normal pt
remain a normal pink colour
Peripheral Arterial Disease
what colour will legs go when hanging off bed in buerger test in pts with peripheral arterial disease
- Blue initially: ischaemic tissue deoxygenates the blood
- Dark red (rubor) after a short time: vasodilation in response to the waste products of anaerobic respiration
Peripheral Arterial Disease
what may indicate the skin and tissues are struggling to heal due to impaired blood flow
leg ulcers
Peripheral Arterial Disease
inx
- Ankle-brachial pressure index (ABPI)
- Duplex US: shows the speed and volume of blood flow
- Angiography (CT or MRI): using contrast to highlight the arterial circulation
Peripheral Arterial Disease
what is the Ankle-brachial pressure index (ABPI)
the ratio of systolic blood pressure (SBP) in the ankle (around the lower calf) compared with the systolic blood pressure in the arm
Peripheral Arterial Disease
ABPI: what is the ABPI if ankle SBP is 80 and arm is 100
80/100 = 0.8
Peripheral Arterial Disease
what is a normal ABPI
0.9 - 1.3
Peripheral Arterial Disease
what ABPI indicates mild peripheral arterial disease
0.6 – 0.9
Peripheral Arterial Disease
what ABPI indicates moderate to severe peripheral arterial disease
0.3 – 0.6
Peripheral Arterial Disease
what ABPI indicates severe disease to critical ischaemic
Less than 0.3
Peripheral Arterial Disease
what can an ABPI above 1.3 indicate
calcification of the arteries, making them difficult to compress. This is more common in diabetic patients.
Peripheral Arterial Disease
supportive mnx of intermittent claudication
- lifestyle changes
- exercise training: regularly walking to point of near-maximal claudication and pain, then resting and repeating
Peripheral Arterial Disease
medical mnx of intermittent claudication
- artovastatin 80mg
- Clopidogrel 75mg OD (aspirin if clopidogrel is unsuitable)
- Naftidrofuryl oxalate (5-HT2 receptor antagonist that acts as a peripheral vasodilator)
Peripheral Arterial Disease
surgical mnx of intermittent claudication
- Endovascular angioplasty and stenting
- Endarterectomy – cutting the vessel open and removing the atheromatous plaque
- Bypass surgery – using a graft to bypass the blockage
Peripheral Arterial Disease
mnx of Critical Limb Ischaemia
urgent referral to the vascular team
analgesia
- Endovascular angioplasty and stenting
- Endarterectomy
- Bypass surgery
- Amputation
Peripheral Arterial Disease
mnx of Acute Limb Ischaemia
urgent referral to the on-call vascular team
- Endovascular thrombolysis
- Endovascular thrombectomy
- Surgical thrombectomy
- Endarterectomy
- Bypass surgery
- Amputation
Chronic Venous Insufficiency
why does it occur
usually from damage to the valves inside the veins
blood does not efficiently drain from the legs back to the heart
Chronic Venous Insufficiency
what may damage to the valves inside the veins be due to
- age
- immobility
- obesity
- prolonged standing
- after DVT
often associated with varicose veins
Chronic Venous Insufficiency
why is there venous HTN
blood pools in the veins of the legs because the valves are damaged
Chronic Venous Insufficiency
which area is most affected
gaiter area
Chronic Venous Insufficiency
what skin changes are seen
halv
- haemosiderin staining
- venous eczema
- lipodermatosclerosis
- atrophe blanche
Chronic Venous Insufficiency
what is haemosiderin staining
red/brown discolouration caused by haemoglobin leaking into the skin
Chronic Venous Insufficiency
what is venous eczema (varicose eczema)
dry, itchy, flaky, scaly, red cracked skin
caused by a chronic inflammatory response in the skin
Chronic Venous Insufficiency
what is Lipodermatosclerosis
hardening and tightening of the skin and tissue beneath the skin
Chronic Venous Insufficiency
what causes Lipodermatosclerosis
Chronic inflammation causes the subcutaneous tissue to become fibrotic (turning to scar tissue)
narrowing of the lower legs causes the typical “inverted champagne bottle” appearance.
Chronic Venous Insufficiency
what is inflammation of the SC fat called
panniculitis
Chronic Venous Insufficiency
what is atrophie blanche
patches of smooth, porcelain-white scar tissue on the skin, often surrounded by hyperpigmentation.
Chronic Venous Insufficiency
what can it lead to (apart from the skin changes)
- Cellulitis
- Poor healing after injury
- Skin ulcers
- Pain
Chronic Venous Insufficiency
mnx
- keep skin healthy
- improve venous drainage to legs
- manage complications
Chronic Venous Insufficiency
trx for flares of lipodermatosclerosis
Very potent topical steroids
Chronic Venous Insufficiency
trx for venous eczema
Topical steroids
Chronic Venous Insufficiency
how to improve venous drainage
- Weight loss if obese
- Keeping active
- Keeping the legs elevated when resting
- Compression stockings (exclude arterial disease first with an ankle-brachial pressure index)
Chronic Venous Insufficiency
mnx of complications
- Antibiotics for infection
- Analgesia for pain
- Wound care for ulceration
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
definition
dilatation of the abdominal aorta with a diameter >3cm
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
who is screened for in
all men at 65y in England are offered a screening USS
considered in women >70 with RFs: CVD, COPD, FH, HTN, hyperlipidaemia or smoking.
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
what size aorta diameter are patients referred to a vascular team
> 3cm
urgently if >5.5cm
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
presentation
asymptomatic. Usually discovered on routine screening or when it ruptures
- non-specific abdo pain
- pulsatile + expansile mass when palpated with both hands
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
initial inx
US
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
dx
CT angiogram: detailed picture of the aneurysm and helps guide elective surgery to repair the aneurysm.
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
normal sized AAA
<3cm