title: [Contribution of different methods for vascular investigation of arteriography of the limbs. Examinations in ambulatory patients and use of the vascular laboratory (author's transl)].
abstract: Various techniques are presently employed for noninvasive investigation of vascular function. The problem arises as the place of each method as a function of the medical surroundings and the pathological condition to be explored, and a multicentre survey was therefore conducted in 38 teams who were asked to define their activities. The most frequently used method is continuous ultrasonography (2 apparatuses per team), an 20 centres had available a mercury gauge plethysmograph. Lower limb resting pressure was measured in only 73% of centres, and an effort test conducted in 42%. Apart from medical staff, 58% of the teams included a laboratory technician, and 60.5% employed members of the nursing staff. The specialist (vascular surgeon, cardiologist...) is responsible for confirming the nature and effects of the vascular lesion, which requires the use of ultrasonography and distal pressure measurement. The laboratory for vascular exploration intervenes if surgery is contemplated or if diagnosis is not certain. Blood velocity and segment pressures are then determined. Effort and hyperemia tests can assist the decision to undertake reconstructive surgery.
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001158:Arteries / Q000473:pathology; D005121:Extremities / Q000098:blood supply; D006801:Humans; D007753:Laboratories; D008722:Methods; D010991:Plethysmography; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*
vernacular_title: La place respective de chaque technique d'exploration vasculaire dans l'artériopathie des membres. L'examen ambulatoire et le laboratoire vasculaire.