Arteriographic evaluation of vascular changes in leprosy.

Two hundred and eighty-four arteriograms were performed in the hands and feet 178 leprosy patients. Narrowing and tortuosity of the digital vessels, especially in the presence of bone absorption, were constant features. Digital tufts revealed signs of ischemia. However, in the presence of infection, hyperemia was a definite observation. Diminution in the caliber of the digital arteries and thinning or absence of the vascular end loops prove that ischemia plays a vital role in the production of various lesions in leprosy.