[A patient with thromboangiitis obliterans]

Thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease) is characterised by inflammatory thrombi in small and middle-sized arteries and in the veins. As opposed to arteriosclerosis, the vessel wall remains normal. Diagnostic criteria are the presence of distal ischaemia in the extremities, documented by noninvasive vascular testing; exclusion of autoimmune diseases, hypercoagulable states, and diabetes mellitus, age less than 45 years and cigarette smoking.

The article is based on a case history and review of the literature.

A 31-year-old man was in 1953 diagnosed with thromboangiitis obliterans. Lumbar sympathectomy on the left side in 1953 and on the right side in 1971 had excellent symptomatic effect. The patient has been treated with anticoagulants for 48 years. Amputation of the left 2nd toe was performed in 1971. At age 80, he is without further cardiovascular events and takes regular physical exercise. Over the last fifty years, the incidence of thromboangiitis obliterans has been drastically reduced. The reason for this is unknown. The only proven treatment is complete discontinuation of tobacco. The effect of sympathectomy and long-term anticoagulation has not been proven.