A Clinical Study of Buerger's Disease

Hahn, Soo Bong; Han, Dae Yong; Kim, Nam Hyun; Park, Byeong Mun; Lee, Hong Kyu

Abstract

Buerger's disease was first identified in 1908 by Leo Buerger as a distinct clinicopathological entity, which causes severe pain and necrosis on distal parts of the extremities and occurs especially in young male adults. In spite of many treatment modalities, it is not completely cured but results in amputation in the long run. So, we studied a total of 120 cases of Buerger's disease, who were admitted at Yonsei University, Severance Hospital from Jan., 1975 to June, 1985 and we obtained the following results. 1. All the patients were male and majority of them were under 40 years of age (69.2%). 2. 118 cases were smokers and 2 cases were non-smokers. 3. The initial symptoms were resting pain, necrosis, and color change in descending order of frequency. 4. Diagnoses were made mainly by angiogram(75.8%) and most common site of obstruction was popliteal artery (49.4%). 5. After sympathectomy and angioplasty, there was temporary relief of symptoms, but none showed good results after long term follow up. As a result, amputations were performed after sympathectomy in 47 cases(39.2%), of which 36 cases(76.6%) received that surgery within 2 yeas after sympathectomy. 6. The pressure index not only helps diagnose the disease but also is a very useful method to objectively assess the severity of the initial symptoms and postoperative results.