Original scientific paper
Vasculometry of Upper and Lower Extremities in Correlation with Development of Pathologic Conditions like the Diabetic Foot
Vasilije Nikolić
; Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University »J. J. Strossmayer«, Osijek, Croatia
Radivoje Radić
; Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University »J. J. Strossmayer«, Osijek, Croatia
Robert Selthofer
; Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University »J. J. Strossmayer«, Osijek, Croatia
Tonči Miševič
; Department of Radiology, University Hospital Center Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Branko Dmitrović
; Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University »J. J. Strossmayer«, Osijek, Croatia
Darija Šnajder
; Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University »J. J. Strossmayer«, Osijek, Croatia
Vladimir Šišljagić
; Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University »J. J. Strossmayer«, Osijek, Croatia
Tatjana Belovari
; Department of Histology and Embriology, School of Medicine, University »J. J. Strossmayer«, Osijek, Croatia
Zvonimir Sučić
; Department of Radiology, University Hospital »Sv. Duh«, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
We assume that the vascular apparatus of the lower limb did not evolutionary adapt to leg mass and volume. The lower limb is grater in length and volume that the upper limb, and therefore the arteries should have a bigger diameter and cross-sectional area. During pathoanatomic autopsies at the Department of Pathology of University Hospital Center Osijek we have taken segments of 1 cm of length from the subclavian, femoral, radial and tibial artery. Our sample contained segments from 51 bodies, 24 female and 27 male. We have measured leg and arm length and circumference. From these data the idealized limbs volume was calculated by geometric approximations to a cone fragment. The relation between idealized leg and arm volume and arterial cross-sectional area were calculated. For statistical analysis, Student’s t-test was used. At the Department of Radiology of the University Hospital Center Osijek we measured the diameter of subclavian and femoral artery in systole and diastole in 41 patients (21 female and 20 male) by Color Doppler ultrasound, and the circumference and length of upper and lower limb was measured. There is a slightly difference between the diameter and cross-sectional area of subclavian and femoral artery. Leg length was for 48.5% bigger than arm length and the difference in volume between upper and lower limb is significantly different. The foot has four to five times greater volume than the arm, and is vascularised by an arterial tree of similar diameter. This fact proves our hypothesis that the blood supply to the lower limbs compared to the mass of tissue is smaller.
Keywords
biomechanics; vascularization; diabetic foot
Hrčak ID:
51731
URI
Publication date:
25.3.2010.
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