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Thromboangiitis obliterans - Symptom

Alternative Names

Buerger's disease

Symptoms:

Hands or feet may be pale, red, or bluish
Hands or feet may feel cold
Pain in the hands and feet
- Acute, severe
- Burning or tingling
- Often occurring at rest
Pain in the legs, ankles, or feet when walking (intermittent claudication)
- Often located in the arch of the foot
Skin changes or ulcers on hands or feet

Note: Symptoms may worsen with exposure to cold or with emotional stress. Usually, two or more limbs are affected.

Signs and tests:

The hands or feet may show enlarged, red, tender blood vessels. The pulse in the affected hands or feet may be low or absent.

The following tests may show blockage of blood vessels in the affected hands or feet:

Blood tests for other causes of vasculitis and inflammation may be done. Rarely, in cases where the diagnosis is unclear, a biopsy of the blood vessel is done.

Thromboangiites obliterans

Circulatory system

Reviewed last on: 10/27/2008
Neil J. Gonter, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY, and private practice specializing in Rheumatology at Rheumatology Associates of North Jersey, Teaneck, NJ. Review provided by Verimed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Olin JW. Other peripheral arterial diseases. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 80.

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