Acute limb ischaemia
Encyclopedia
Acute limb ischaemia occurs when there is a lack of blood flow to a limb. It is usually due to either an embolism
or thrombosis
of an artery in those with underlying peripheral vascular disease. It is estimated to occur at a rate of 14 per 100,000 per year in the United States. It is a highly treatable condition with proper surgical care.
Critical limb ischemia (CLI), an advanced stage of peripheral arterial disease (PAD), is defined by the presence of ischemic rest pain, non-healing ulcers or gangrene for more than two weeks along with an objective evidence of ischemia 1, 2, 3. The objective evidence includes ankle-brachial index (ABI, <0.5), toe systolic pressure (<30mmHg), or ankle systolic pressure (<50mmHg) 1, 2, 3. The prevalence of PAD based on objective testing ranges from 3% to 10% in general population 1. CLI occurs in 1-2% of PAD patients who are over 50 years 1. CLI has a grave prognosis with a one-year mortality rate of 20% and a one-year amputation rate of 25% after the initial diagnosis 2. Within six months of initial diagnosis, 40% of the patients with unreconstructable disease require a major amputation 2. A major amputation is one in which a prosthesis is required to allow standing and walking; for example Syme’s amputations, and all of the amputations above the ankle 3.]
Embolism
In medicine, an embolism is the event of lodging of an embolus into a narrow capillary vessel of an arterial bed which causes a blockage in a distant part of the body.Embolization is...
or thrombosis
Thrombosis
Thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel, obstructing the flow of blood through the circulatory system. When a blood vessel is injured, the body uses platelets and fibrin to form a blood clot to prevent blood loss...
of an artery in those with underlying peripheral vascular disease. It is estimated to occur at a rate of 14 per 100,000 per year in the United States. It is a highly treatable condition with proper surgical care.
Critical limb ischemia (CLI), an advanced stage of peripheral arterial disease (PAD), is defined by the presence of ischemic rest pain, non-healing ulcers or gangrene for more than two weeks along with an objective evidence of ischemia 1, 2, 3. The objective evidence includes ankle-brachial index (ABI, <0.5), toe systolic pressure (<30mmHg), or ankle systolic pressure (<50mmHg) 1, 2, 3. The prevalence of PAD based on objective testing ranges from 3% to 10% in general population 1. CLI occurs in 1-2% of PAD patients who are over 50 years 1. CLI has a grave prognosis with a one-year mortality rate of 20% and a one-year amputation rate of 25% after the initial diagnosis 2. Within six months of initial diagnosis, 40% of the patients with unreconstructable disease require a major amputation 2. A major amputation is one in which a prosthesis is required to allow standing and walking; for example Syme’s amputations, and all of the amputations above the ankle 3.]