[Electron microscopic studies of lumbar sympathetic chains resected for arteritis of the lower limbs (author's...

Eighteen lumbar sympathetic chains resected for lower limb arteritis are examined on electron microscopy. A comparative study of the nature of lesions is done for diabetics and non-diabetics. Development of vascular lesions, clearly accelerated in the diabetic does not coincide with neurological lesions. These are much more frequent in diabetics, which explains the increased failure rate of lumbar sympathectomy in this disease as the result of lumbar sympathectomy depends on the state of nervous tissue. Examination of the state of nervous tissue. Examination of this tissue could therefore help establish a surgical prognosis.