If the CFV or CFA waveform is continuous, where is the obstruction?

Prepare for the WCUI/Smith Chason Exit Assessment – Abdomen, Vascular, OB/GYN Test. Enhance your study with flashcards and detailed multiple choice questions, complete with hints and explanations. Master your exit exam with confidence!

Multiple Choice

If the CFV or CFA waveform is continuous, where is the obstruction?

Explanation:
When a Doppler signal at the common femoral artery shows a continuous, monophasic waveform, it means the normal pulsatile pressure wave is being damped before it reaches that site. The blockage is upstream from where you’re measuring—that is, in a proximal segment of the arterial tree (iliac arteries or the aorta). The upstream obstruction prevents the sharp systolic impulse from propagating, so the distal waveform loses its triphasic character and becomes a smooth, continuous flow pattern throughout the cardiac cycle. This same logic applies when considering the CFV/CFA context: the obstruction lies proximal to the measurement point.

When a Doppler signal at the common femoral artery shows a continuous, monophasic waveform, it means the normal pulsatile pressure wave is being damped before it reaches that site. The blockage is upstream from where you’re measuring—that is, in a proximal segment of the arterial tree (iliac arteries or the aorta). The upstream obstruction prevents the sharp systolic impulse from propagating, so the distal waveform loses its triphasic character and becomes a smooth, continuous flow pattern throughout the cardiac cycle. This same logic applies when considering the CFV/CFA context: the obstruction lies proximal to the measurement point.

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