A reperfusion interval reduces the contractile deficit in skeletal muscle following tourniquet ischemia.
Bloodless surgical procedures on the extremities are achieved by application of a pneumatic tourniquet. The ischemia produced has deleterious effects on nerve and muscle function. It has been suggested that temporary interruption of ischemia by a reperfusion interval can prevent muscle and nerve injury. We investigated the muscle and nerve response to 3 hours of tourniquet ischemia, with and without a reperfusion interval after the first 2 hours of application, in a rodent model. Morphometric, contractile, and histologic parameters were measured. Tourniquet ischemia, with and without a reperfusion interval, results in muscle injury and a transient depression of muscle function. Introduction of a reperfusion interval reduces the severity of injury and increases the early rate of recovery. However, the later stages of recovery appear to be unaffected by reperfusion.
Stompro
B E
BE
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of California, Davis, School of Medicine.
Stevenson
T R
TR
Wineinger
M A
MA
Sharman
R B
RB
Carlsen
R C
RC
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000098:blood supply; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015424:Reperfusion / Q000379:methods*; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013997:Time Factors; D014111:Tourniquets / Q000009:adverse effects*