[Hemodynamic study for the assessment of atherosclerotic occlusive disease]

Abstract

Of all modalities used for the assessment of the severity of ischemic limbs none has proved to be more simple, reliable and reproducible than Doppler ultrasonography. The critical level that endangers the leg in patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans will be defined around 0.3 of ankle brahcial index by Doppler pressure measurement. Concerning the evaluation of the severity of intermittent claudication Doppler study may provide some standards to predict the state of muscle ischemia after exercise from the value measured at resting state. Near infrared spectroscopy is capable of direct continuous monitoring for the change of the state of oxygenated haemoglobin and deoxygenated one in the ischemic calf muscle during exercise. NIRS can be a new modality to asses the muscle ischemia during exercise in ASO patients. The objective diagnostic techniques should be reproducible, capable of intrinsic standardization, easily employed, relatively rapid to perform, adaptable to current recording equipment, and applicable to studies during and after exercise.