This week in the vascular literature review: Should you measure an ankle brachial index? How can you tell if a clot is new? and What kind of parasites do kings have? Should the ankle brachial index be used for screening? A new USPTF guideline statement has addressed the matter of screening for peripheral artery disease…
We are announcing a new feature on the site. Every week our editors will be collecting and summarizing interesting vascular related literature from prominent journals and summarizing it for you here in one convenient place. This week in the vascular literature review we will talk about fibromuscular dysplasia, coumadin failure, steroids and venous thromboembolism, pneumatic…
Catheter procedures are very common. They are quickly replacing surgery for many indications. Many vascular problems can be treated with catheters. Cath procedures are safe. Pain after cath procedures is not normal. It can signify a serious problem. For this reason pain after cath procedures should prompt immediate medical attention. What is a Cath Procedure…
There is surprisingly little data available to guide surveillance after endovascular procedures for peripheral artery disease. Simple things are not well described. Should a patient be seen frequently or only symptom based? Should some patient characteristics prompt more or less frequent visits? Is surveillance that relies on ultrasound and segmental pressures and pulse volume recordings…
Peripheral artery disease manifesting as intermittent claudication can be treated with or without intervention. Conservative therapies include medication geared at halting the atherosclerotic process and a walking program. Walking programs have an obvious appeal for patients with intermittent claudication (i.e., leg pain with walking). This is because they are safe and physiologically sound. Over the…
Dependent edema is the most common cause for leg swelling. In fact, it is very common. Still, many patients and doctors have never heard of it. What does dependent edema look like? Dependent edema is a common cause for swollen legs. It usually causes ankle swelling. The swelling usually come sand goes. It will be…
Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) is a newly described vascular entity. It is characterized by restricted venous outflow from the brain and spinal cord through the internal jugular (IJV) and/or azygos (AZ) veins (Figure 1), or sometimes, through the external vertebral plexuses. (1-5) Clinical Vignette: CCSVI in multiple sclerosis patients A 41 year old woman,…
Chronic mesenteric ischemia can pose a diagnostic and technical challenge for the interventionist. Indications and patient selection for mesenteric artery stenting were covered previously here. This article will outline technical aspects of mesenteric artery stenting. Clinical Vignette A 74-year-old gentleman with a history of antiphospholipid syndrome and celiac artery stenosis treated with a single balloon-expandable…
Just as there are any cold feet causes, there are also many treatments for cold feet. And even though there are some things that all people who have cold feet need to do, there is no real “one size fits all”. When it comes to cold feet treatment, knowing the cause means being able to…
An angiosome is a three-dimensional anatomic sector of the human body that is perfused by a single source artery (1). Each angiosome is connected to surrounding angiosomes through “choke vessels” that may become important when the perfusion capacity from the source artery is diminished. Appropriate perfusion becomes crucial in patients with critical limb ischemia. What…
