J.Jpn. Surg. Soc.. 60(1): 92-106, 1959

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STUDY ON THE VASA VASORUM OF THE OBLITERATED ARTERIES OF THE EXTREMITIES

1. Distribution and origin of the vasa vasorum were studied using the femoral arteries of 13 rabbits and 5 adult dogs and the lower extremities of 6 men with out vascular lesion. The vas vasorum was found in the adventitia but was not found in the inner layers from the media. In the femoral artery of rabbits, it was found that some vas vasorum originate from the main artery, run parallel to the lumen and finally distribute to the adventitia.
2. Angiitis was experimentally made by injection of staphilococcus after injection of saturated solution of NaCl into the femoral artery of 48 rabbits. In this type of angiitis inflammatory change was severer in the inner layers of the artery and the less changes were seen in the outer layers. There was no change in the vasa vasorum. These findings were similar to the histological findings of the arteries of human extremities which are suffering from Buerger's disease. Moreover, in this type of experimentally made angiitis the inflammation is thought to be originated from the intima and it spreads to the outer layers. Hence, in case of human extremities suffering from Buerger's disease the progress mentioned above may occur.
3. According to the results of histological examination on 11 cases of experimentally made obliterative and suppurative angiitis of the main arteries of the extremities, 61 cases of arterial obliteration by ligation and 9 cases of amputated extremities of Buerger's disease, dilatation and increase of the vasa vasorum were observed in the media and adventitia.
In those occasions, not only the nutrition of the vessel wall but collateral circulation and recanalization might be maintained by the vasa vasorum.
4. In addition to the collateral circulation by bifurcation of the vessels passing through the musclar tissue, the existence of the collateral circulation by means of the vasa vasorum was clearly found by arteriographic examination of Buerger's disease.
5. In conclusion, periarterial sympathetic denervation is dangerous when it is performed at the site of obliteration in cases of obliterative diseases of the arteries of the extremities.
(author's abstract)

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