EFFECTS OF ISCHEMIA ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DEAFFERENTATION PAIN SYNDROME AND ON MICROCIRCULATORY DISTURBANCES IN RATS

In a group of rats with transected sciatic nerve, ischemia of the oper ated Limb produced by femoral artery Ligation was found to result in a n accelerated onset and increased severity of autotomy as compared to a similar group of rats without ischemia. Biomicroscopic examination o f the mesenteric microcirculation showed that the ischemia also intens ified disturbances of the terminal blood flow, made the venules more p ermeable, and increased the percentage of degranulated mast cells. The possible mechanisms by which ischemia promotes the development of chr onic pain syndromes are discussed.