This physiological measurement unit was set up primarily for vascular surgeons to:
- Assist in the diagnosis and quantification of the haemodynamic significance of arterial lesions.
- Monitor the efficacy of surgery and other therapies.
- Determine tissue viability with a view to achieving the optimum level of lower limb amputations.
The laboratory is equipped with non-invasive techniques for measuring the velocity, volume and pressure of blood flowing in arterial networks and methods for quantifying microcirculatory flow in skin and muscle. Techniques used routinely include colour duplex ultrasonography, infra-red thermography, strain gauge plethysmography, photoplethysmography, micro-lightguide spectrophotometry and laser doppler flowmetry.
The unit has a long tradition in the research and development of physiological and clinical test procedures and much of the present equipment has been purchased by funds raised from external research grants. These developments have brought a significant increase in non-surgical referrals especially those with cerebrovascular disease, end-stage renal failure, connective tissue disorders, vasospastic disease and non-healing ulcers and pain syndrome.
At present, the laboratory has approximately 5400 annual patient visits, 1800 of these being new patients. The Clinical Director of the laboratory is the Director of General Surgery. The day-to-day running is the responsibility of a physicist, and three medical physics technicians. There are presently four research staff, a bioengineer and a research registrar (both registered for doctorate degrees), an electronics engineer and a part-time research technician, all of whom are externally funded.