title: Early histopathologic changes in experimentally replanted extremities.
abstract: Early serial histologic changes in replanted extremities have not been well defined; their contribution to a suboptimal functional result is unknown. With the use of a rat hind limb replantation model to address this question, we studied tissues of the replanted legs by light microscopy from 1 to 60 days after replantation. Although early lesions were consistent with ischemic injury, the chronic preparations were remarkably normal, and the lesions were more consistent with denervation. Poor function in clinical replantations may be a reflection of more pronounced versions of these pathologic lesions.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000473:pathology; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000473:pathology; D005268:Femoral Vein / Q000473:pathology; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D009132:Muscles / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012092:Replantation; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D014855:Wallerian Degeneration