engleski

Vasculometry of upper and lower extremities in correlation with development of pathologic conditions like the diabetic foot

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 on the Department of Pathology of Clinical 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. There is a slightly difference between the diameter and cross-sectional area of subclavian and iliac (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.

biomechanics; vascularization; diabetic foot

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