Wr. Buschmann et al., HISTOLOGY AND HISTOMORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE NORMAL AND ATROPHIC HEEL FAT PAD, Foot & ankle international, 16(5), 1995, pp. 254-258
Light and electron microscopy was used for a histologic examination of
normal heel fat pads and atrophic heel fat pads from patients with pe
ripheral neuropathies. Histomorphometric analysis revealed an average
30% smaller mean cell area and 16% smaller mean cell diameters in the
atrophic pads compared with the normal heel fat pads. Septal walls in
the atrophic fat pads were often fragmented and approximately 75% wide
r than normal. Perineural fibrosis was also found in the atrophic heel
fat pads. The Verhoeff elastic staining technique was used to determi
ne the relative percentage of collagen to elastic tissue within the se
ptae. No significant differences were noted between the normal and atr
ophic heels. The ultrastructure of the adipocytes from the normal and
atrophic heel pads was similar to those found in abdominal subcutaneou
s fat. Lipid droplets of variable size and density within the center o
f the adipocyte were surrounded by a thin border of cytoplasm. The int
erphase between adipocytes contained fine collagen and elastic fibers.