Burger's Disease

In the second half of the XIX century, a doctor from Germany Vinivarter noticed that often amputated gangrenous limbs for medical reasons showed signs of thrombosis. This form of artery disease was named after the pioneer - Vinivarter Burger's disease.

Buerger's disease (obliterating thromboangiitis) is an inflammation of small and medium vessels, resulting in a circulatory disturbance. Usually, Burger's disease affects the veins and arteries of the upper and lower extremities, which is explained by their remoteness from the central blood flow in the body and, accordingly, by the weak movement of blood in them.

Causes of Buerger's disease

Despite the fact that the disease has been studied for a long time, the mechanisms of its development are not clear enough. But it is well known that predisposing factors for the onset of the disease are:

• high levels of adrenaline in the blood as a result of increased adrenal function;
• genetic predisposition;
• autoimmune disorders;
• viral and bacterial infections;
• neurogenic conditions leading to organic changes in the vessels (obstruction, thrombi, spastic dystrophy);
• trauma, frostbite , intoxication with arsenic.

Smoking is considered to be one of the main causes of the development of Buerger's disease. Studies have shown that nicotine promotes the formation of thrombi.

Symptoms of Buerger's disease

Symptoms and methods of treatment of Buerger's disease are largely related to the stage of the disease:

1. The first stage is characterized by subtle manifestations:

• legs or hands become tired;
• There are unpleasant sensations in the fingertips (tingling, burning);
• when walking for a long time, limp is noticeable.

2. In the second stage, lameness occurs more often. In addition, the following signs are noted:

• The pulse is not felt in the feet;
• the skin becomes dry;
• the soles become coarser, the nails thicken and crumble;
• limbs lose weight due to atrophy of subcutaneous fat.

3. In the third stage of the disease, there are:

• swelling of the extremities;
• atrophy of fatty layer and muscles of legs or hands;
• high tissue vulnerability.

4. At the fourth stage, the tissues die, while the patient develops extensive ulcers, develops gangrene of the extremities.

Treatment of Buerger's disease

In the initial stages of the disease, drug therapy is effective, including:

• antithrombotics;
• antihistamines;
• vasodilator drugs;
• ganglion-blocking drugs.

A good help in the treatment are physiotherapy, for example, diadynamic therapy. At the last stage, amputation of the affected limb is recommended.

Attention! An important step to recovery is to quit smoking ! If you do away with a bad habit at the beginning of the disease, then the chances of not becoming an invalid appear much more.