2. 2
Objectives - acute limb ischaemia
๏ฎ List causes
๏ฎ Describe the pathophysiology of
symptoms and signs
๏ฎ Discuss the immediate management
3. 3
Effects of chronic limb ischaemia
๏ฎ Intermittent claudication
๏ฎ Nutritional effects โ skin, nails
๏ฎ Critical ischaemia
๏ฎ Loss of significant amount of tissue โ
needing a major amputation
4. 4
Effect of acute ischaemia
๏ฎ Lack of oxygen ๏ anaerobic metabolism ๏ lactic
acidosis
๏ฎ Accumulation of other by-products of metabolism ๏
pain
๏ฎ Sluggish flow distally ๏ venous thrombosis
๏ฎ Beyond a critical time ๏ irreversible ๏ tissue death
Warm ischaemia
5. 5
Reperfusionโฆ..
๏ฎ Ischaemia โ reperfusion injury โฆ can
be more harmful
โis initiated by production of reactive oxygen species which
initially appear responsible for the generation of chemotactic
activity for neutrophils. Later, once adherent to
endothelium, neutrophils mediate damage by secretion of
additional reactive oxygen species as well as proteolytic
enzymes, in particular elastaseโ
12. 12
Management
๏ฎ Depends on
๏ฎ Availability of facilities
๏ฎ Viability of limb โ how to assess?
๏ฎ Priorities
๏ฎ Life ๏ Limb ๏ Function
๏ฎ Investigations (of limited value)
15. 15
Immediate
๏ฎ Try to save the limb (if viable)
๏ฎ Have to treat the cause โ eg. Thrombus,
embolus, tight POP, fractured endโฆ.
๏ฎ
May need referral to a vascular unit
๏ฎ Until then โฆโฆ.
๏ฎ
Minimize damage to the viable tissues of the
limb