HEMODYNAMIC-STUDY OF ISCHEMIC LIMB BY VELOCITY-MEASUREMENT IN FOOT

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 90  (1) , 10-19
Abstract
By means of a tracer technique with 99mTc-pertechnetate, provided with 7 zonal regions of interest, 6 mm in width, placed at equal spaces of 18 mm, from the toe tip to the midfoot at a right angle to the long axis of the foot, arterial flow velocity in the foot during reactive hyperemia was measured in patients. The mean velocity in the foot was 5.66 .+-. 1.78 cm/s in 14 normal limbs, 1.58 .+-. 1.07 cm/s in 29 limbs with distal thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO), 0.89 .+-. 0.61 cm/s in 13 limbs with proximal TAO, and 0.97 .+-. 0.85 cm/s in 15 limbs with arteriosclerosis obliterans. The velocity returned to normal in all 12 limbs after successful arterial reconstruction, whereas the foot or toe blood pressure remained pathologic in 9 of the 12 limbs postoperatively; the velocity reverted to normal in 4 of 13 limbs after lumbar sympathectomy. When the velocity was normalized after operation, the ulceration healed favorably and the ischemic limb was salvaged. The most characteristic feature of peripheral arterial occlusive disease of the lower extremity was a stagnation of arterial circulation in the foot, and the flow velocity in the foot was a sensitive predictive index of limb salvage.