THE AFFINITY OF TROXERUTIN FOR THE VENOUS WALL MEASURED BY LASER-SCANNING MICROSCOPY

The uptake and localization of troxerutin, a trihydroxy-ethyl-rutoside , in the venous wall have been studied in patients undergoing long sap henous vein surgery. Troxerutin, an autofluorescent drug, is currently used to relieve oedema and subjective symptoms in patients with chron ic venous insufficiency. In order to determine the localization of the troxerutin, a confocal scanning laser microscope has been used to rec ord the fluorescence from vein cross sections. The quantified fluoresc ence was used as a measure of the local concentration of troxerutin. I n order to reduce the effects of local variation, several images have been scanned from each specimen. Then the recorded data have been anal ysed to see how the fluorescence varies in the radial direction within the venous wall. Results showed that troxerutin was significantly acc umulated in both inner and outer parts of the venous wall. Whereas inn er wall troxerutin uptake resulted from dit ect diffusion throught the lumen, the outer wall uptake proceeded Likely from the vasa vasorum c irculation.