[Venous diseases and pregnancy].

The pregnancy and the puerperium are critical conditions for the venous system of the lower limbs. The risk of venous thromboembolism is important in the presence of contributing factors. The management of the disease (diagnosis, treatment, prophylaxis) has to be tailored to each individual patient.

The quantitation of blood flow/metabolism coupling at rest and after exercise in peripheral arterial insufficiency, using PET and 15-0 labeled tracers.

Regional blood flow and oxygen uptake of the lower limbs were studied in 11 patients with arterial insufficiency (10 with severe unilateral, 1 with bilateral intermittent claudication). Regional muscle blood flow (F), oxygen consumption rate (R), and oxygen extraction fraction (E) were evaluated by positron emission tomography (PET) and bolus inhalation of C15O2 and 15O2 by the patient. Tomograms were recorded at the greatest diameter of legs, at rest and ten minutes after a treadmill walk test leading to the development of ischemic pain in the affected leg.

[Effect of the frequency of neuromuscular electric stimulation of the leg on femoral arterial blood flow].

In a previous work we have demonstrated that the transcutaneous neuromuscular electrical stimulation of the muscles of the leg in the human increases largely the arterial femoral blood flow. This elevated flow is stable during the stimulation. The present work deals with the influence of the frequency of the stimulation on the level of this hyperaemia.

[Musculo-venous pump in the elderly].

We study the musculo-venous pump in an elderly population, free of venous disease, by use of a digitized photoplethysmograph. We measure the venous refilling time (To) and the venous drainage (Vo) during active and passive movement. In the first part, we measure Vo and To during active and passive ankle flexions among 17 patients (34 limbs) aged 82.