Buerger’s Disease (Thromboangiitis Obliterans)

Spontaneous Intercostal Artery Bleeding in a Patient With Buerger's Disease: A Case Report

Intercostal artery (ICA) injury and bleeding are well-known complications of thoracic procedures and trauma; however, spontaneous ICA bleeding is a rare condition usually associated with specific underlying disorders that typically lead to the weakening of vasculature. Herein, we present a 42-year-old male with a history of Buerger's disease who developed spontaneous bleeding of the second left ICA after undergoing lower limb angioplasty. The bleeding was complicated by a large hemothorax and retropleural hematoma, resulting in hemorrhagic shock that necessitated massive transfusion, embolization, and eventual thoracotomy with evacuation.

SMOKING AND BUERGER’S DISEASE: FROM HYPOTHESES TO EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Early after the definition of thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO), it was noticed that TAO patients are almost always tobacco smokers. Later on, the relationship between continued smoking and TAO prognosis was documented. Consequently, smoking came to be considered as the main cause of TAO. However, it is still unknown why, amongst millions of smokers, only a small number develop TAO. It also remains unknown why, of the TAO patients who continue smoking, only half of them show aggravation and undergo amputations. The aims of this review are to investigate evidence in support of or against the relationship between TAO and smoking, according to the TAO-related literature published from 1908 to January 2022, and to discover the possible role of smoking in TAO pathophysiology. Taken together, it appears that smoking predisposes TAO patients toward the potential harmful effects of the main aetiology and helps the main aetiology to develop vascular lesions. Therefore, smoking cessation would almost always be helpful for improving the prognosis of TAO patients and reducing disease manifestation. However, concluding that smoking is not the main aetiology of TAO would open a new door to finding the true main aetiology of TAO and to discovering the appropriate treatment and medical management of patients who fail to stop smoking.

Clinical outcomes of extended endovascular recanalization of 16 consecutive Buerger’s disease patients

Objective

Buerger’s disease is one of the worst diseases causing peripheral artery occlusions (especially lower extremity) with increased morbidity and mortality. Endovascular treatment of the diseased arteries gains preference over bypass surgery nowadays. Here, we aimed to present the clinical outcomes of 16 consecutive Buerger’s disease patients underwent extended endovascular recanalization which is a new technique to restore direct blood flow to at least one foot artery, with the performance of angioplasty for each tibial and foot artery obstructions.

Methods

A total of 16 consecutive patients with confirmed diagnosis of Buerger’s disease that percutaneously treated in our center between February 2014 and March 2018 were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 44.25 ± 4.28 ranging from 36 to 50 years. After physical examination and complementary diagnostic tests, performance of extended angioplasty for occluded arteries was intended to restore direct blood flow to at least one of the blow-the-knee arteries.

Results

A successful extended endovascular treatment was performed in 20 of 22 limbs, achieving a technical success of 91%. All patients were successfully discharged without any complication. Mean follow-up duration was 21.43 ± 7.08 months. Reintervention was performed in one patient and minor amputation was needed in one of the failed limbs. Limb salvage rate was 100%. A significant difference was observed based on Rutherford classification, ankle brachial index, direct blood flow to foot, presence of ulcer and rest pain when compared before and after the intervention.

Conclusion

We showed successful extended endovascular recanalization of Buerger’s disease patients with a high technical success rate and sustained clinical improvement. Extended endovascular recanalization could be a therapeutic option in Buerger’s disease patients, since they are not good candidates for surgery.

Two otherwise healthy young brothers present with intermittent claudication, just a coincidence?

Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome (PAES) is a recognised cause of lower limb peripheral arterial disease in young adults. We describe the cases of two otherwise healthy brothers who presented with the condition 5 years apart. The first brother, who is also the first author of this case report, presented aged 19 with worsening, right-sided, exercise-induced lower leg pain and transient foot pallor. Imaging confirmed PAES and irreversible localised arterial damage. Surgery was performed to release the entrapment and resect the section of diseased artery. The limb was revascularised using an autologous interposition saphenous vein graft. The second brother began experiencing left-sided, exercise-induced lower leg pain aged 24. Again, imaging revealed PAES and irreversible arterial damage. A similar revascularisation procedure was performed. Both siblings fully recovered and are symptom free. Arterial duplex scans have confirmed patent grafts. A correlation in siblings has only been reported in the literature five times previously.

Is Achenbach's syndrome a surgical emergency? A systematic review

AIM

The aim of this study is to establish the nature (urgent vs. non-urgent), demographics, presentation and management of Achenbach's syndrome and to formulate an algorithmic approach for their diagnosis and management.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A systematic review and met-aggregation of literature from 1944 to 2015 in English language in MedLine, Embase and Cochrane database were conducted.

RESULTS

Achenbach's syndrome is a female-dominant disease with median age of 49.5 years (range 22-76) (age ≤60, n = 11/12, 91 %). It presents with unilateral volar discoloration of a finger (100 %). It is associated with pain (n = 7/12, 58. %), edema (n = 7/12, 58 %), and paresthesia (n = 3/12, 25 %). The median time to resolution of symptoms without any intervention was 4 days (range 2-14).

CONCLUSION

AS is self-limiting and a non-urgent surgical condition. It can be differentiated from other pathologies by clinical spectrum, patient demographics and in doubtful circumstances (acute limb ischemia) by Doppler sonography. An algorithmic approach can avoid hospital admissions, partially unnecessary investigation and assist in patient assurance.

A review on thromboangiitis obliterans pathophysiology: thrombosis and angiitis, which is to blame?

A century has passed since thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO), or Buerger's disease, was first described, but the etiology remains unclear. It is still uncertain as to whether thrombosis or vascular inflammation is the first event. TAO is an episodic inflammatory and thrombotic-occlusive vascular disease of unknown origin. The involvement of the distal vessels and nerves within the neuro-vascular bundles occurs almost always in legs and occasionally in arms. The cumulative data demonstrate that at the cellular and molecular levels, at least four main components of inflammatory reactions, including endothelial cells, platelets, leukocytes and sensory neurons, might be involved in TAO pathogenesis. The interactions among these cells in an altered microenvironment of small- and medium-sized vessels may also orchestrate the onset of TAO events. In this review, the factors that may promote thrombosis and angiitis are reconsidered at three levels: (1) host characteristics such as male gender and genetic background; (2) probable triggers including cigarette smoking and infectious agents; and (3) environmental factors such as chronic anxiety and mental stress as a consequence of low socioeconomic status. At each level, the interactions among vascular endothelium, platelets, leukocytes and sensory neurons are discussed.

Buerger disease (thromboangiitis obliterans)

Buerger disease is a nonatherosclerotic vasculitis that is triggered by substantial exposure to tobacco. This disease usually affects small- and medium-sized arteries in the upper and lower extremities. All clinicians who take care of patients with peripheral arterial disease should know the clinical features and diagnostic evaluation of Buerger disease. In this article, we review the clinical presentation and diagnostic criteria for Buerger disease. We describe the diagnostic work-up of patients suspected of having Buerger disease and discuss the typical findings on noninvasive arterial studies and angiography. Lastly, we review the management of these patients, including medical therapy, with an emphasis on smoking cessation, as well as the potential role of revascularization, both surgical and endovascular.

The association of Raynaud syndrome with thromboangiitis obliterans--a meta-analysis

Thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO) has traditionally been included among the diseases associated with Raynaud syndrome (RS). The prevalence of RS in patients with TAO is not well defined. The objective of this meta-analysis is to assess the prevalence of RS in patients with TAO. A literature search was performed for the studies dealing with RS and TAO. The studies provided sufficient data to estimate the prevalence of RS in patients with TAO. A total of 8 eligible studies, contributing data on 851 patients, were included in this meta-analysis. For TAO, a pooled prevalence of 28.1% and 95% confidence interval ([CI] = 0.158, 0.423) were obtained. Statistically publication bias was not present (P = .232). Despite some heterogeneity, there is a possible indication of an association between RS and patients with TAO.

Effect of eNOS and ET-1 Polymorphisms in Thromboangiitis Obliterans

Thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO), or Buerger disease, is a segmental occlusive inflammatory disorder of the arteries and veins, and etiopathogenesis is still obscure. It is strongly connected to the use of tobacco products, especially smoking. Smoking cessation is obligatory for success of the medical treatment. In the current study, we investigated the prevalence of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) 894 G→T and endothelin-1 (ET-1) 8000 T→C polymorphisms in association with TAO to reveal any possible involvement in the TAO pathophysiology. The T allele of the eNOS 894 G→T polymorphism was found to be associated with the prevention of TAO.

Substitution of smokeless tobacco for cigarettes in Buerger's disease does not prevent limb loss

Buerger's Disease, characterized by segmental, inflammatory, occlusive disease of the distal small and medium sized arteries, predominantly affects young men who are cigarette smokers. The disease may lead to ischemia, necrosis, and amputation of distal extremities; most patients have significant improvement in symptoms if smoking is discontinued. We report a patient who experienced progression of biopsy-proven Buerger's disease, after substituting smokeless tobacco for cigarettes. The patient's disease was severe enough to eventually require bilateral below-knee amputations. The association of smokeless tobacco with progressive limb ischemia should lead clinicians to discourage the substitution of smokeless tobacco for cigarette smoking in patients with Buerger's disease.

Thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease): searching for a therapeutic strategy

Treatment of thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease) includes both surgical and nonsurgical approaches, or a combination of both. A definite therapeutic approach has not yet been set. This article reviews the proposed therapeutic strategies and considers the advantages and disadvantages of each treatment. Cessation of smoking seems to be the only globally accepted therapeutic measure to prevent disease progression. A number of promising novel therapeutic strategies may prove useful for the treatment of this physically and socially mutilating disease.

Buerger's disease: What has the last decade taught us?

Thrombangiitis obliterans (TAO), or Buerger's disease, is most likely an endarteritis that is introduced by T-cell-mediated cellular immunity and B-cell-mediated humoral immunity associated with the activation of macrophages or dendritic cells in the intima. There is no specific marker of the disease, and the diagnosis is based on clinical and angiographic criteria. The disease spontaneously leads to tissue loss and major amputations and is self-limiting in the 5th to 6th decades of life. Patients should quit smoking and be offered treatment with prostaglandin or prostacyclin, modern wound management, and pain-relieving drugs. Surgical revascularization may be indicated in elective patients, and amputation should only be the last option. It has been suggested that environmental factors may play a major role in the modification of the disease process. TAO is a typical lower class disease, the social and psychological components of which are widely unexplored. Unfortunately, the last decade has not taught us anything to enable us to improve the treatment of TAO patients.

Thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease)

Thromboangiitis obliterans or Buerger's disease is a segmental occlusive inflammatory condition of arteries and veins, characterized by thrombosis and recanalization of the affected vessels. It is a non-atherosclerotic inflammatory disease affecting small and medium sized arteries and veins of upper and lower extremities. The clinical criteria include: age under 45 years; current or recent history of tobacco use; presence of distal-extremity ischemia indicated by claudication, pain at rest, ischemic ulcers or gangrenes and documented by non-invasive vascular testing; exclusion of autoimmune diseases, hypercoagulable states and diabetes mellitus; exclusion of a proximal source of emboli by echocardiography or arteriography; consistent arteriographic findings in the clinically involved and non-involved limbs. The disease is found worldwide, the prevalence among all patients with peripheral arterial disease ranges from values as low as 0.5 to 5.6% in Western Europe to values as high as 45 to 63% in India, 16 to 66% in Korea and Japan, and 80% among Ashkenazi Jews. The etiology of thromboangiitis obliterans is unknown, but use or exposure to tobacco is central to the initiation and progression of the disease. If the patient smokes, stopping completely is an essential first step of treatment. The effectiveness of other treatments including vasodilating or anti-clotting drugs, surgical revascularization or sympathectomy in preventing amputation or treating pain, remains to be determined.

One of the most frequent vascular diseases in northeastern of Turkey: Thromboangiitis obliterans or Buerger's disease (experience with 344 cases)

PURPOSE

This is a retrospective clinical study on adult patients treated surgically for Buerger's disease in our region.

METHODS

In our clinic, 344 patients with Buerger's disease were surgically treated between 1980 and 2004. The major complaints included foot coldness in 312 (90.6%) patients, color changes in 290 (84.3%), rest pain in 160 (46.5%), claudication in 166 (48.2%) and necrotic ulcers in 185 (53.1%). Lumbar sympathectomy was made in 278 (80.2%) patients, thoracic sympathectomy in 7 (2.2%), thoracic and lumbar sympathectomy in 12 (3.6%), lumbar sympathectomy and femoropopliteal or femorotibial bypass in 30 (9%), and femoropopliteal or femorotibial bypass in 17 (5%).

RESULTS

Color changes were improved in 230 (79.3%) patients, food coldness were decreased in 288 (92.3%) and rest pains were improved in 43 (26.8%). Intermittent claudications decreased in 132 of 166 patients. Necrotic ulcers healed in 30 of 185 patients. Amputation was made totally in 155 (53%) patients in 10 years.

CONCLUSIONS

As a nonatherosclerotic, segmental, inflammatory disease, Buerger's disease is casually related to tobacco use. The main goal is to discontinue the use of tobacco. Sympathectomy may be helpful in healing the ulcers and decreasing the symptoms. Vascular reconstruction is rarely possible for patients with Buerger's disease due to segmental involvement and distal nature of the disease.

Thromboangiitis obliterans (Buergerʼs disease)

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Thromboangiitis obliterans is a nonatherosclerotic segmental inflammatory disease that affects the small and medium-sized arteries and veins in the upper and lower extremities. This review will help to familiarize physicians with this vasculitis that is completely different from every other type of vasculitis encountered.

RECENT FINDINGS

While tobacco is central to the initiation and continuance of Buerger's disease activity, two interesting pathophysiologic observations have been made. There is endothelial dysfunction in arteries not yet clinically or angiographically involved in thromboangiitis obliterans. There are elevated levels of anti-endothelial cell antibodies and measurement of these antibody titers may be useful in following disease activity in Buerger's disease patients. The only therapy clearly shown to prevent amputation is the complete abstinence of tobacco. There is exciting work under way on the use of selective cannabinoid receptor antagonists to help patients stop smoking. In addition, preliminary results on use of therapeutic angiogenesis in patients with Buerger's disease has demonstrated excellent collateral blood vessels formation and clinical improvement.

SUMMARY

The difficulty in studying rare diseases such as thromboangiitis obliterans is that there are no significant research dollars available and even the most active centers only see a few patients per year. Therefore, there has been little progress in understanding the pathogenesis of the disease. There are new therapeutic modalities that help patients with this disease, however, and patients can be assured that if they are able to discontinue tobacco use completely, amputation will not occur if critical limb ischemia is not already present.

Enfermedad de Buerger (tromboangeítis obliterante)

Thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO) is a segmental, inflammatory, vasoocclusive disease that predominantly affects the small and medium-sized arteries and veins of the extremities. It most often occurs in young male smokers, especially those from Mediterranean and Asian countries. It is considered an autoimmune process related to the use of tobacco products. Clinically, it is characterized by the presence of painful, ischemic ulcers of the digits. Histopathological studies usually show an occlusive intraluminal thrombus with a predominantly acute inflammatory infiltrate. To make the diagnosis, it is important to exclude other causes of ischemia of the extremities, and different authors have proposed criteria to establish this diagnosis. Treatment is only effective if it is accompanied by abstention from tobacco. There are also different pharmacological and surgical strategies for its management.

The role of epidural spinal cord stimulation in the treatment of Buerger’s disease

PURPOSE

This clinical, retrospective study is evaluated the effect of epidural spinal cord stimulation (SCS) in the treatment of Buerger's disease.

METHODS

The clinical criteria of Shionoya were used to diagnose 29 patients (22 men, 7 women; mean age 33.7 years) with Buerger's disease. The patients underwent SCS. Complete physical examination and vascular laboratory data were available and recorded for all patients. Questions regarding the improvement of symptoms, in lifestyle, and in physical activities were asked direct interview or by telephone during mean follow-up of 4 years.

RESULTS

The regional perfusion index (RPI), the ratio between the foot and chest transcutaneous oxygen pressure at baseline (before SCS treatment) was 0.27 +/- 0.25. Three months after SCS implantation the RPI increased to 0.41 +/- 0.22. During the follow-up period, a sustained improvement in microcirculation was recorded: the RPI at 1-year follow-up was 0.49 +/- 0.34 and at 3-year follow-up was 0.52 +/- 0.21. The most pronounced improvement in the RPI values was found in the subgroup of 13 patients with trophic lesions. In this group, the RPI increased significantly from 0.17 +/- 0.21 to 0.4 +/- 0.18 (P < .023) after a mean follow-up of 5.7 years. Two patients underwent major amputation of the lower target limb. The limb survival rate was 93.1%. During the follow-up period of 4 years, 21 of the 29 patients continued to smoke, and only five patients stopped nicotine exposure.

CONCLUSIONS

We recorded a significant benefit in the microcirculation, a good limb survival rate, and the absence of new trophic lesions. During the follow-up period, no severe complications related to the implanted devices occurred. Because of the diffuse, distal, segmental nature of the disease, SCS should be considered as an alternative treatment modality in patients with Buerger's disease.

Thromboangiitis Obliterans (Buerger Disease) in a Female Mild Smoker Treated with Spinal Cord Stimulation

The authors report the case of a 42-year-old female mild smoker admitted to the Hospital of Ferrara for the onset of asymptomatic necrotic ulcerations localized to the second, third, and fourth toes of left foot. Physical examination showed asphygmia of inferior limb distal peripheral pulses, with localized extremity marbleized and cyanotic skin at the level of the left foot, where necrotic ulcers were present at the second, third, and fourth toes. Doppler ultrasonography and angiography revealed a severe obliterating arteriopathy of bilateral distal arterial circulation. Both blood chemistry panel (including autoimmune and hypercoagulable profile) and diagnostic examination findings were normal. Thus, the patient met several criteria to be diagnosed with Buerger disease. After an attempt at medical therapy with the intravenous administration of the prostaglandin-analogue iloprost, given the young age and the lack of viable distal target vessels for bypass grafting, a spinal cord stimulator was implanted. More than 2 years later, the patient has a normal life.

Effect of nicotine on vasoconstrictor and vasodilator responses in human skin vasculature

Our objective was to test the hypothesis that acute exposure of human skin vasculature to nicotine may have deleterious effects on endothelial function. Vasoconstriction and vasorelaxation in isolated perfused human skin flaps (approximately 8 x 18 cm) derived from dermolipectomy specimens were assessed by studying changes in skin perfusion pressure measured by a pressure transducer, and skin perfusion was assessed by a dermofluorometry technique (n = 4 or 5). It was observed that nicotine (10(-7) M) amplified (P < 0.05) the norepinephrine (NE)-induced concentration-dependent (10(-7)-10(-5) M) increase in skin vasoconstriction compared with the control. This amplification effect of nicotine in NE-induced skin vasoconstriction was not blocked by the nicotine-receptor antagonist hexamethonium (10(-6) M) or the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin (10(-5) M). It was also observed that ACh and nitroglycerin (NTG) elicited a concentration-dependent (10(-8)-10(-5) M) vasorelaxation in skin flaps preconstricted with 8 x 10(-7) M of NE. The vasorelaxation induced by ACh was attenuated (P < 0.05) in the presence of nicotine (10(-7) M) compared with the control. However, skin vasorelaxation induced by NTG was not affected by nicotine (10(-7) M). ACh and NTG are known to induce endothelium-dependent and -independent vasorelaxation, respectively. The present findings were interpreted to indicate that acute exposure of human skin vasculature to nicotine was associated with 1) amplification of NE-induced skin vasoconstriction and 2) impairment of endothelium-dependent skin vasorelaxation. Cyclooxygenase products and nicotine receptors blocked by hexamethonium were not involved in the amplification of NE-induced skin vasoconstriction by nicotine. These findings may provide further insight into the pathogenesis of skin vasospasm in skin flap surgery and skin ischemic disease associated with cigarette smoking or use of smokeless tobacco.

Prothrombin gene 20210 G-->A and Factor V Arg 506 to Gln mutation in a patient with Buerger's disease--a case report

Thromboangiitis obliterans, or Buerger's disease, is a segmental occlusive inflammatory disorder of the arteries and veins most commonly affecting the lower extremities of young male cigarette smokers. The etiopathogenesis of the thromboangiitis obliterans is still obscure. The authors have identified heterozygosity for the recently described prothrombin gene 20210 G-->A variation and Factor V Arg 506 to Gln (Factor V Leiden) mutation in a patient with Buerger's disease. Both mutations confer a high risk of thrombosis. This coincidental observation may serve as further evidence that a thrombotic mechanism is involved in Buerger's disease.

Implantable spinal cord stimulator to treat the ischemic manifestations of thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease)

Thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease) is a segmental inflammatory vasculitis that involves the small-sized and medium-sized arteries, veins, and nerves. It is causally related to tobacco use. The diagnosis is usually made on the basis of the presence of distal arterial disease in individuals who smoke and in whom other disease entities have been excluded. The most effective treatment for Buerger's disease is smoking cessation. Without strict adherence to tobacco avoidance, disease progression is likely. Methods to control ischemic pain include medications, sympathectomy, or surgical revascularization. The effect of sympathectomy is unpredictable, and the chances of a successful revascularization procedure are rare because distal target vessels often are extensively diseased. Herein, we describe a patient whose condition did not respond to the usual conservative therapy but did respond dramatically to the implantation of a permanent spinal cord stimulator. Although these devices have been used for more than 20 years in various other peripheral arterial diseases, their use in Buerger's disease has been limited.

Inpatient treatment of severe nicotine dependence in a patient with thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease)

Thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO), or Buerger's disease, is an inflammatory, occlusive, and nonatherosclerotic vascular disease that most commonly affects small and medium-sized arteries and veins. The association between tobacco use and the development of TAO is incontestable; however, a substantial number of patients with TAO continue to use tobacco despite progression of disease and amputation. Herein we describe a patient with advanced TAO whose severe, refractory nicotine dependence was successfully treated in a specialized nicotine-dependence inpatient program. After cessation of smoking, the patient's disease stabilized. Inpatient nicotine-dependence treatment may represent an alternative for recidivist smokers with severe tobacco-related disease.

The Role of Polytetrafluoroethylene Graft Material in Buerger's Disease

The early and long-term results of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) grafts in different anatomical locations were evaluated in 14 patients with Buerger's disease (thromboangiitis obliterans). During a 10-year period, 2160 patients with peripheral vascular disease were treated and, in 258, the diagnosis of Buerger's disease was made. Fourteen of these 258 patients underwent revascularization with PTFE grafts. In a follow-up period, up to 8 years patency rates were as follows: aorto/ilofemoral bypass 80%, femoropopliteal bypass 40%, femorocrural bypass 50% with a cumulative patency rate of 57.1%, and limb salvage rate of 88.9%. Because of the diverse nature and small number of the operations, the numerical results are not amenable to statistical analysis, but 88.9% limb salvage rate is satisfying in Buerger's disease. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the use of PTFE grafts in Buerger's disease and it validates limb salvage even below the inguinal ligament.

Thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease)

Thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO) is a nonatherosclerotic segmental inflammatory obliterative disease that most commonly affects the small- and medium-sized arteries and veins in both upper and lower extremities. In the past, TAO was exclusively a disease confined to men; however, recently more women have been diagnosed with TAO. Most patients are heavy users of tobacco, and usually cigarette smokers.

Buerger's disease in Hong Kong: a review of 89 cases

BACKGROUND

A retrospective analysis of 103 case records from 1978 to 1996 with a provisional diagnosis of Buerger's disease was undertaken at the Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital. The aim of the study was to elucidate the clinical course and evaluate the results of surgical intervention of Buerger's disease in Hong Kong Chinese people.

METHODS

Fourteen patients were subsequently excluded from the study because of inability of fulfil our diagnostic criteria. Data on clinical presentation, investigations, indications and results of surgical intervention were reviewed. Sympathectomies and arterial reconstructions were performed on 42 and four patients, respectively, for critical ischaemia or rest pain. Outcome was analysed with respect to the rate of ulcer healing, pattern of recurrence and limb loss.

RESULTS

The patients were all young male heavy smokers with a mean age of 36.5 years. The majority of patients (80%) presented with ischaemic ulceration or gangrene. Vascular reconstruction was undertaken in four patients and satisfactory long-term results were obtained in three patients. Sympathectomy was able to relieve symptoms in 87% of operated patients and ischaemic ulceration healed in 2.6 (mean) +/- 1.7 (SD) months after the operation. If the patient continued to smoke, surgical intervention did not exempt the patient from a relapse or amputation.

CONCLUSION

Sympathectomy provides short-term pain relief and promotes ulcer healing in patients with Buerger's disease but carries no long-term benefit. Complete abstinence from smoking is the only means of arresting the progression of the disease.

Hallux amputation in combination with a lumbar sympathectomy for treatment of a non-healing ulceration in a patient with Buerger's disease

Buerger's disease is a distal vascular occlusive disease primarily affecting those with a history of tobacco use. Treatment of digital pathology can be quite difficult as a result. This paper discusses a patient who developed an ulceration of the left hallux that did not respond to local wound care and antibiosis. A lumbar sympathectomy was performed in conjunction with a hallux amputation to promote distal vasodilation and enhance the patient's ability to heal.

Buerger's disease presenting as acute small bowel ischemia

The case of a young man with an unusual presentation of thromboangiitis obliterans with ischemia of the small bowel, 2 years before peripheral vascular disease of the extremities was clinically expressed, is reported.

HLA antigens in Burger's disease

The HLA A and B types of 20 Greek patients with thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO) were studied and compared with a panel of 400 controls. A nonstatistically significant increase in the frequencies of HLA B5, B7 and A9 antigens was found. These antigens were found to be associated with a relative risk of 3.47, 3.24 and 2.07 respectively. These findings are partially in agreement with those of a joint English-Swiss study which also found a negative association with B12 antigens; in the Greek population, also of European origin, a negative association was observed with the B8 antigen.