Extent and distribution of skeletal muscle necrosis after graded periods of complete ischemia

Journal Article · Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987 · J. Vasc. Surg.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1067/mva.1987.avs0060152· OSTI ID:6369235

Labbe, R; Lindsay, T; Walker, P M

The management of an acutely ischemic extremity requires knowledge of the response of skeletal muscle (the largest component of the lower limb) to prolonged periods of complete normothermic ischemia. We have used the canine gracilis muscle model to evaluate the extent and distribution of ischemic necrosis after 3 and 5 hours of ischemia and 48 hours of reperfusion. Each muscle was cut into six slices, and the extent and distribution of postischemic necrosis identified by means of nitroblue tetrazolium staining and 99mTc pyrophosphate uptake. After 3, 4, and 5 hours of ischemia the extent of necrosis was 2.0% +/- 0.9%, 30.3% +/- 6.0%, and 90.1% +/- 3.5% (mean +/- SEM), respectively. A statistically significant correlation exists between the extent of necrosis and the uptake of 99mTc pyrophosphate uptake per gram of tissue (y = 1574.9x - 8.4, r = 0.84, p less than 0.001). Most necrosis was centrally located and found in the thickest portion of the muscle. We conclude that there is a graded response in the extent of skeletal muscle necrosis related to the length of ischemic stress rather than an ''all-or-none'' phenomenon. This central distribution of necrosis makes the usual external evaluation of ischemic damage clinically unreliable. In addition, since there was no enveloping fascia in this model, a compartment release alone may not prevent the development of skeletal muscle necrosis. This knowledge of the response of skeletal muscle to ischemia may lead to an improved clinical approach to an extremity suffering a prolonged ischemic insult.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Toronto, Ontario
• OSTI ID: 6369235
• Journal Information: J. Vasc. Surg.; (United States), Vol. 6:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ISCHEMIA
PATHOGENESIS
MUSCLES
NECROSIS
BIOLOGICAL MODELS
DOGS
ISOMERIC NUCLEI
PERFUSED TISSUES
PYROPHOSPHATES
TECHNETIUM 99
TRACER TECHNIQUES
ANIMAL TISSUES
ANIMALS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BODY
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
DISEASES
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
MAMMALS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
RADIOISOTOPES
TECHNETIUM ISOTOPES
TISSUES
VASCULAR DISEASES
VERTEBRATES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
550901* - Pathology- Tracer Techniques