Forefoot Plethysmography in Immediate and Late Postoperative Control after Reconstructive Vascular Surgery

Abstract

In fourteen patients the descending time is measured by pulse morphological forefoot plethysmography two hours, one day, two days and one week after vascular reconstruction. Generally measurements showed increasing circulation for the first two days postoperatively. In many cases the measurements showed flat pulse curves the day of operation, which invalidate the method as an immediate postoperative control. Later postoperative control has been made in 80 patients. Excellent correlation has been found between descending time and palpable pulse and between the clinical result and the descending time even in patients with no palpable pulse. Values less than .57 secure a good clinical response upon operation in the individual patient. In control of patients with combined occlusions and only the iliac arteries reconstructed the method was found most valuable.