Echocardiography in acute limb ischaemia.
In a retrospective study carried out over a 5-year period, 88 patients with acute limb ischaemia underwent echocardiography. Of this group, 74 were thought to have an embolic cause of ischaemia on either operative or arteriographic findings. Two-dimensional echocardiography detected a cardiac source in 30 patients (sensitivity 41%, specificity 100%). Clinical examination on admission correctly indicated an embolic source in 36 patients (sensitivity 49%, specificity 36%). The combination of echocardiography and clinical examination detected an embolic source in 60 of 74 (81%) patients. In this study echocardiography complemented clinical examination in the diagnosis of a cardiac source of acute limb ischaemia.
Vascular Surgery Unit, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, UK.
A K
AK
Siriwardena
C V
CV
Ruckley
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004452:Echocardiography; D005121:Extremities / Q000098:blood supply*; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D000925:Anticoagulants