EVALUATION OF VASCULAR COMPLIANCE AND VASOCONSTRICTIVE REACTIONS IN AMPUTATED HINDLIMBS OF RATS

The vascular compliance and the contractility of vascular smooth muscl e of preserved, amputated hindlimbs of rats were evaluated using a fre sh blood extracorporeal circulatory system. Vascular compliance was me asured under physiologic circulatory conditions (blood pressure of the amputated limb was maintained at 80-150 mm Hg [10-20 kPa]) and found not to differ significantly from that of freshly amputated limbs after storage at 4 degrees C for 12 hours. However, after more than 24 hour s of storage at 4 degrees C, the vascular compliance decreased signifi cantly (p < 0.01). To evaluate the contractility of vascular smooth mu scle, the arterial blood pressure in the amputated limbs was transient ly increased with injections of norepinephrine. The contractility coul d be preserved for at least 12 hours at 4 degrees C; however, it decre ased markedly after more than 24 hours. The vascular compliance and va soconstrictive reactions of the amputated limbs were maintained for at least 12 hours at 4 degrees C.