CAPILLARY MICROSCOPIC FINDINGS IN PATIENTS WITH CVI UNDER DIFFERENT HYDROSTATIC CONDITIONS

Capillary microscopy in patients with CVI can show many morphological abnormalities like tortuous and elongated capillaries, heterogenous di stribution of capillary tufts or microvascular thrombosis. Microcircul atory changes also become evident when examination is done under diffe rent hydrostatic conditions. For this purpose a new fiberoptic microsc ope was used, with an optical surface probe including a CCD camera. Fi fteen patients with CVI stages I and II and 10 healthy volunteers were examined at the medial ankle area in supine, sitting and standing pos ition. Patients with CVI showed larger vessel diameters in comparison to controls, the differences increasing with rising hydrostatic pressu re. The perfusion type changed in both groups with venules becoming mo re evident especially in standing position.