Isolated limb perfusion (ILP) is used to treat locally advanced sarcoma and melanoma of the extremities. ILP is associated with a 1.7% to 10% incidence of deep venous thrombosis (DVT). The aim of the study was to examine the effect of ILP on the peripheral venous system and to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of color Doppler ultrasonography (US).
Methods
A total of 26 patients with locally advanced sarcoma or melanoma of the extremities received a total of 38 ILP. The patients were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively by color Doppler US as a noninvasive venous measurement. We used a color Doppler US system (SSA-270A, Toshiba) with a 7.5-MHz linear transducer for gray-scale imaging and a 5-MHz vascular transducer for color Doppler imaging.
Results
Seventeen patients underwent single ILP while the others were treated with multiple ILPs. Color Doppler US showed a reflux flow in three (7.9%) patients and DVT occurred subsequently in these patients.
Conclusions
Color Doppler US is a noninvasive and clinically useful diagnostic technique in the diagnosis of extremity DVT. We recommend anticoagulant therapy in patients with reflux on ultrasonographic examination.
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