Ankle blood pressure measured by automatic oscillotonometry: a comparison with Doppler pressure measurements.

Oscillotonometry using Dinamap machine was investigated for the measurement of ankle and brachial blood pressures in our vascular practice. It was validated by comparison with intra-arterial pressure measured by transducer. Systolic ankle and brachial pressures in 43 patients were compared using the Dinamap and Doppler techniques, and significant correlation was found. Ankle and brachial systolic, diastolic and mean pressures and ankle/brachial pressure indices for all three pressures were measured in a group of 12 normal subjects supine at rest, and after treadmill exercise, and a range of normal values defined. The main limitation of the Dinamap is its failure to measure pressures below 50mmHg. The Dinamap technique is a noninvasive, simple, reproducible and quick method of measuring ankle and brachial pressures in vascular surgical practice.