Microcirculatory disturbances following the passage of emboli in an experimental free-flap model

Following completion of arterial repair in an experimental free-flap model, platelet emboli have been observed passing through the microcirculation downstream. The purpose of this experimental study was to observe and quantitate changes in capillary perfusion occurring subsequent to these events. The isolated rat cremaster model was used. For 6 hours subsequent to surgical injury of the main artery in this model, the number of emboli and the number of perfused capillaries downstream were counted. In eight rats having an intentional arterial wall injury, emboli were consistently seen during the first hour of reflow. In the nine control animals having no arterial injury, no emboli were seen. The presence of emboli in the cremaster muscle, resulting from the arterial injury, was associated with a significant reduction in the number of perfused capillaries. We suggest that the observed decrease in capillary perfusion was associated with microemboli that produced an adverse effect for several hours after their initial presence in the circulation.