Vascular Patterns in Immobilized, Denervated, or Devascularized Rabbit Limbs

¹ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh

Using an injection technique, the vascular pattern in the hind limbs of rabbits was studied by means of roentgenograms. The right hind limbs of these animals were immobilized by plaster cast, by cast and skeletal pins, and by internal pin fixation of the ankle and knee joints. In addition, denervation, femoral-artery ligation, and tenotomy were done in other animals.

The changes in vascular pattern noted after cast immobilization were dilatation of the main arteries and increased vascularization about knee and ankle joints. After internal fixation alone similar changes occurred, except that there was no dilatation of the main arteries. Increased arborization of small muscle vessels was noted after femoral-artery ligation. Diminished vessel size and bizarre vascular patterns were noted after both denervation and tenotomy.

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