Blood flow in jaw bones affected by chronic osteomyelitis.

In order to study circulatory changes throughout the course of chronic osteomyelitis of the jaws, blood flow in bone affected by osteomyelitis was assessed in 14 patients, by means of laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). The difference in perfusion between the osteomyelitic bone and corresponding sites on the opposite healthy jaw was evaluated. The patients were classified into two groups according to the clinical activity of their disease. A significantly reduced bone blood flow was recorded in the jaw during non-active stages, while an increased flow was associated with the initial stage of disease and the inflammatory exacerbations. No pre-existing vascular disorders were discovered prior to the development of this disease. However, a long standing local inflammation of the jaw bone was associated with a persistent reduction in blood flow. In 12 healthy subjects, blood flow in the left jaw was found not to be statistically different to that in the right jaw.