Vascular Studies

What to Expect

During the Procedure

• Description of the room, monitoring devices, positions, and equipment that will be used - You will be lying on a table or bed during the procedure. The Doppler equipment will be in the room, which includes a monitor and taping equipment. There will be several blood pressure cuffs for leg studies.
  
  
• Anesthesia - None required.
  
  
• Basic description of the procedure:
  
  
  • The area to be studied will be exposed by removal of clothing, if necessary.
    
    
  • A clear gel will be placed on the skin at locations where the pulse is expected to be heard.
    
    
  • The Doppler transducer is pressed against the skin and moved around over the area of the artery or vein being studied.
    
    
  • When blood flow is detected, you will hear a "whoosh, whoosh" sound. The probe will be moved around to compare blood flow in different areas of the artery or vein.
    
    
  • For arterial studies of the legs, blood pressure cuffs will be applied in three positions on the leg in order to compare the blood pressure between different areas of the leg. The cuff around the thigh is inflated first, and the blood pressure is determined with the Doppler transducer placed just below the cuff.
    
    
  • Next, the cuff around the calf is inflated, and the blood pressure is determined as with the thigh cuff.
    
    
  • Finally, the cuff around the ankle is inflated, and the blood pressure is determined as in steps #5 and #6.
    
    
  • The blood pressure is taken in the arm on the same side as the leg that was just studied and used to determine the degree of any occlusion of arterial flow in the legs.
    
    
  • Once the procedure has been completed, the gel will be removed from the skin. You may redress, if necessary, and leave, unless your physician instructs you differently.
    
    
• Procedure time - The procedure normally takes 15 to 60 minutes, depending on the area being studied. However, events such as schedule delays, emergencies, and other factors may delay the start of your procedure, or prolong the length of it.

After the Procedure

• Recovery - No recovery process is usually required.
  
  
• Length of stay - None, unless your physician determines that your condition requires further observation or hospital admission.
  
  
• Recuperation time - None.
  
  
• Outcome - Depending on the results of the studies, additional tests or procedures may be scheduled for further diagnostic information.
  

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