Hemodynamics of the juvenile dog knee in relation to increased venous outlet resistance

Tissue blood flow was measured by the tracer microsphere technique in the juxta-articular bones of the immature knee, knee joint capsule and skeletal muscles of the hind limbs after unilateral bone cannulation of the distal femoral epiphysis, surgical exploration of the popliteal vessels and unilateral isolated increase of venous outlet resistance in the distal femoral epiphysis during Halothane anaesthesia. Pressure registration was performed in a liquid-filled electromanometric pressure recording system. Significant regional differences in bone blood flow was found within the different bone compartments of both control and test limb. Bone cannulation resulted in insignificant hyperaemia in the distal femoral epiphysis. No changes of distribution pattern of bone blood flow followed the surgical procedure. Ligation of the medial genicular vein caused a three fold increase of venous outlet resistance measured after 5 min, while an insignificant decrease of arterial inlet resistance was calculated. After one hour a significant decrease of both arterial inlet resistance and venous outlet resistance was found. In addition evidence of a veno-arterial reflex mechanism causing a significant unilateral decrease of distal skeletal muscle blood flow was found. The results demonstrate the presence of both venous and arterial regulation, predominantly metabolic, of bone blood flow in the knee.