Calf Volume Changes During Postischemic Hyperemia in Normal and Arteriosclerotic Legs

Abstract

Postischemic calf volume and blood flow were recorded with mercury strain gauge in normal and arteriosclerotic legs. Constant maximal volume-flow relationship was not demonstrated. Inverse relationship, however, was found between peak flow and peak volume time. Peak volume time was always over 20 seconds in symptom-giving femoral artery obstructions and under 20 seconds in normal legs and in legs with symptom-free diffuse arteriosclerosis. Peak volume time is therefore a functional index of the circulatory condition with femoral artery obstructions. Peak flow time was occasionally normal (zero) with symptom-giving femoral artery obstructions and is thus a less reliable index.

With isolated aorto-iliac obstructions, peak volume time was never largely increased, whereas combined aorto-iliac and femoral artery obstructions nearly always showed a large increase. A merely small increase with aorto-iliac obstructions therefore suggests patency of the femoral artery.

Key Words:

• Arteriosclerosis
• hyperemia
• intermittent claudication
• plethysmography