TAO is clinically and pathologically distinguishable from other forms of vasculitis according to some points. TAO is almost never observed in persons over the age of 60 years. TAO intensifies usually at the 4 th decade and then the symptoms diminish. TAO predominantly occurs in young males who habitually use tobacco ( 3). Felix von Winiwarter, as a student of Billroth at the University Clinic in Vienna, first described TAO in 1879 and Leo Buerger described in exquisite detail the clinical and histopathological features of the disease in 1908 ( 2), yet the etiology of TAO is still largely unknown. Thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO, Buerger’s disease) is nonatherosclerotic inflammatory disease of the peripheral blood vessels, and it affects the small and medium sized vessels of the extremities ( 1). In this paper, I have summarized the recent knowledge about TAO and I have reviewed the recent studies that have focused on the treatment of TAO. Therefore, stem cell therapy is considered to be a novel therapeutic modality for treating patients with TAO and who are not eligible for conventional revascularization therapies.
Surgical bypass or endovascular therapy is usually not possible for patients with TAO because of the diffuse segmental involvement and the distal nature of the disease. As the bedrock for treating patients with TAO, absolute abstinence from tobacco is most important factor, and patients with TAO are usually managed conservatively. The diagnosis is made on the basis of the history, the physical examination and the clinical diagnostic criteria. TAO is mainly seen in young males who smoke, and smoking is strongly associated with the disease course and progression. Thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO) is nonatherosclerotic inflammatory disease of the peripheral blood vessels, and TAO affects the small and medium sized vessels of the extremities.
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