Evaluation of ischemic damage in the skeletal muscle with the use of electrical properties

Abstract

We performed experimental and clinical studies with measurement of electrical character in the skeletal muscle to assess ischemic damage and reperfusion injury in lower limbs. In 14 dogs, the bilateral hind limbs were squeezed at the inguinal region to make ischemia and they were reperfused after various intervals. Conductivity (G) of the skeletal muscles in hind limbs was measured with an LCR meter, which is an impedance analyzer. Change of G from 0 to 3 h of reperfusion (Delta3G) was calculated. G was decreased during ischemia and increased after reperfusion. In those whose Delta3G as more than 2.1 mS/cm, serum creatine kinase and aldolase at 10 h after reperfusion were correlated significantly (P < 0.01) to Delta3G. In patients with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (N = 3), arteriosclerosis obliterans (N = 1), or acute arterial occlusion (AAO, N = 1), G of lower extremities was measured from arterial clamp to declamp. Conductivity markedly increased after reperfusion and serum creatine kinase was the highest in the patient with AAO. We suggested that measurement of G may provide monitoring of ischemic and reperfused phase injury in the skeletal muscle and may be applicable to prediction of the skeletal muscular reperfusion injury.