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.
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of California, Davis, School of Medicine.
B E
BE
Stompro
T R
TR
Stevenson
M A
MA
Wineinger
R B
RB
Sharman
R C
RC
Carlsen
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*