ARTERIAL  EMBOLI  OF  EXTREMITIES

 

Etiology:

  1. Emboli (listen to heart for A.Fib) or Thrombosis in situ (look for signs of atherosclerosis - thin skin, absent hair, thick nails).
     
  2. Most commonly the LE emboli are in femoral bifurcation - 45%, and in iliac artery 20%. In UE most common site is brachial artery.

Attention!!! Make sure that  ischemic extremity is not  2ry to dissection  of a bigger  vessel.

S & S:

  1. Pain,
     
  2. Paresthesia,
     
  3. Pulseless,
     
  4. Pallor.

DX:

  1. Arteriogram

Treatment:

    1. Heparin. Make sure pt is not dissecting.
       
    2. Vascular consult for possible Embolectomy.
       
    3. R/O  AAA with abdominal US in case of LE ischemia.

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