Buerger's Disease - A Clinical Case

Port J Card Thorac Vasc Surg. 2023 Jul 7;30(2):59-61. doi: 10.48729/pjctvs.259.

Abstract

Buerger's disease is a distal segmental nonatherosclerotic vasculopathy that involves the inferior and superior limbs of smoker males younger than 45 years old. This article aims to describe a clinical case and revise the literature about Buerger's disease. A 45-year-old smoker male repeatedly visited the emergency department for refractory pain and inflammatory signs in the right hallux. After developing ulcers in the right foot, Doppler ultrasonography revealed segmental occlusion of distal arteries of that limb. It was also observed in arteriography "corkscrew" collaterals. Autoimmune, thrombophilic and cardiovascular diseases were excluded. Analgesia, antibiotics and alprostadil were implemented. As a result, the patient stopped smoking and was submitted to minor amputation with complete healing, after which he remained asymptomatic. Buerger's disease is a diagnosis of exclusion. Therefore, smoking cessation is the most effective treatment and is crucial to prevent disease progression.

Keywords: Buerger`s disease; limb ischemia; peripheral artery disease; thromboangiitis obliterans.

MeSH terms

  • Alprostadil / therapeutic use
  • Arteries
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pain / drug therapy
  • Smoking / adverse effects
  • Thromboangiitis Obliterans* / diagnosis

Substances

  • Alprostadil