The Compression of a Plantar Lejars Pump Can Produce Arterial Flows in Acute Limb Ischemia

Abstract

A maneuver is explained to show arterial flow and its runoff in patients with acute limb ischemia in whom neither the angiography nor the baseline Doppler can obtain a diagnosis of permeability. During the maneuver, the Doppler color scale should be set to the lowest speed. Plantar compression may result in an inverted flow in the artery because the arteriovenous precapillary communications are open. During the plantar decompress, the negative venous pressure created allows a transient arterial flow by aspiration. This maneuver can produce flux in distal tibial arteries without Doppler signal in the supine rest position and can help locate the distal target vessels for revascularization.