6. What are the perforating veins of the lower limb?
Correct answer: Besides the saphenofemoral and saphenopopliteal junctions, there are additional communications between superficial and deep veins with valves allowing blood in the superficial system to pass into the deep system, and preventing blood flowing out from the deep to…
4. What does the great saphenous vein drain?
Correct answer: This is medially placed; it drains the dorsum of the foot and joins the femoral vein at the saphenofemoral junction in the groin.
3. What is the superficial venous system of the lower limb?
Correct answer: This comprises the medially placed great (long) saphenous vein, draining from the dorsum of the foot to the saphenofemoral junction in the groin, and the small (short) saphenous vein, which drains the lateral aspect of the lower limb…
2. What is the deep venous system of the lower limb?
Correct answer: This comprises a network of veins lying deep to the deep fascia that envelopes the muscular compartments of the leg. Smaller tributaries drain into the popliteal vein behind the knee, which then ascends as the femoral vein to…
1. How many venous systems take blood from the skin of the lower limb back to the trunk?
Correct answer: Two. These are the deep and superficial venous drainage systems.
12. What are the clinical features of acute ischaemia?
Correct answer: The five Ps: Pain (in the limb supplied, starting distally and progressing proximally), Pallor, Pulselessness, Paraesthesiae, Paralysis, plus coldness.
11. What are the clinical features of arterial injury?
Correct answer: The features of arterial injury may be those of acute ischaemia, haemorrhage or often both. Acute ischaemia is characterized by: pain (in the limb supplied, starting distally and progressing proximally), pallor, pulselessness, paraesthesiae, paralysis, coldness. Haemorrhage may be…
10. What causes Volkmann’s ischaemic contracture?
Correct answer: Compartment syndrome.
9. What is compartment syndrome?
Correct answer: Ischaemic muscle swells and if the muscle is contained by a fibrous fascial compartment, such as in the forearm or in the lower leg, the swelling further exacerbates the ischaemia by an increased compartment pressure.
8. What are the six main complications of an arterial injury?
Correct answer: (1) Haemorrhage. (2) Thrombosis. (3) Arteriovenous fistula. (4) False (pseudo-) aneurysm formation. (5) Arterial dissection. (6) Compartment syndrome.
