title: Collateral circulation of the rat lower limb and its significance in ischemia-reperfusion studies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Rats are the most commonly used animal model for studies of acute lower limb ischemia-reperfusion. The ischemia induced by arterial clamping may cause milder damage than the application of a tourniquet if the presence of a possible collateral system is considered.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Wistar rats were randomized into three groups: in group A, the muscle weight affected by ischemia was measured; in group B, the severity of muscle damage caused by the application of a tourniquet and by infrarenal aortic occlusion was examined. Blood and muscle samples were taken from group B to assess the serum necroenzyme, potassium and TNF-α levels, as well as the muscle fiber viability and for histological examinations. In group C, the identification of the lower limb collateral system was performed using corrosion casting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tourniquet application affected the lower muscle mass and resulted in significantly more severe injury compared to infrarenal aortic occlusion. This difference was reflected in the serum necroenzyme, potassium and TNF-α levels. The histological examination and viability assay confirmed these findings. The corrosion casts showed several anastomoses capable of supplying the lower limb.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tourniquet application proved to be capable of inducing absolute lower limb ischemia, in contrast to infrarenal aortic ligation, where a rich collateral system is considered to help mitigate the injury.
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Surgery, Semmelweis University, 78 Ulloi Street, Budapest, 1082, Hungary, oliveross@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Olivér
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rosero
authors.forename: Károly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Németh
authors.forename: Zsolt
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Turóczi
authors.forename: András
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fülöp
authors.forename: Dávid
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Garbaisz
authors.forename: András
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Győrffy
authors.forename: András
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szuák
authors.forename: Bence
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dorogi
authors.forename: Mátyás
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiss
authors.forename: Ágnes
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Nemeskéri
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Harsányi
authors.forename: Attila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szijártó
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003097:Collateral Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007511:Ischemia / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply; D008026:Ligation; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015424:Reperfusion; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014111:Tourniquets