Neovascularisation of the epiphysis

Two experiments in the rabbit model have been carried out to see if a vascular pedicle placed in a growing epiphysis would establish new capillaries. In one, the vascular pedicle of peroneus longus muscle was placed in the proximal fibula epiphysis. In the other, the proximal fibula was excised and the epiphysis placed across the saphenous artery and vein in the groin. After 3 months, histological examination of the epiphyses in both experiments showed that no new vessels had grown from the vascular pedicle. Cartilage is known to inhibit vascularisation, and these results suggest that attempts to revascularise the epiphysis, for example, following Perthes' disease, may fail. For the same reason, attempting to supplement the epiphyseal vessels by implanting a new vessel before or after epiphyseal transfer may fail.