title: Joint pressure influences synovial tissue blood flow as determined by colored microspheres.
abstract: We measured regional blood flow in synovial tissue of the antebrachiocarpal, midcarpal, and metacarpophalangeal joints of six normal adult anesthetized horses by using 15-microns-diameter polystyrene colored microspheres. The midcarpal fibrous capsule and synovial membrane blood flows (SMBF) were compared, and the effect of increased intra-articular pressure (30 and 60 mmHg) on midcarpal SMBF was investigated. Dorsal, medial palmar, and lateral palmar midcarpal SMBF measured 108 +/- 36, 61 +/- 12, and 50 +/- 11 microliters.min-1.g-1, respectively. Antebrachiocarpal, dorsal, and palmar metacarpophalangeal SMBF measured 103 +/- 8, 17 +/- 3, and 26 +/- 5 microliters.min-1.g-1, respectively. Midcarpal fibrous joint capsule blood flow was significantly lower than that of the synovial membrane. An increase in midcarpal intra-articular pressure to 30 or 60 mmHg resulted in an 84% decrease in SMBF. Colored microspheres provided a useful technique to determine sequential SMBF. Increased intra-articular pressure significantly altered SMBF, suggesting a role of the regional circulation in the pathogenesis of joint disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus 43220, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hardy
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Bertone
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Muir
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D006736:Horses; D007596:Joints / Q000502:physiology*; D008863:Microspheres; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000502:physiology