Capillary density of tenotomized skeletal muscles. II. Observations on human muscles after spontaneous rupture of tendon.

Alterations in the capillary density of the M. biceps brachii was studied in 20 cases during 2 months after spontaneous rupture of the tendon. The fiber typing was done using succinic dehydrogenase and myofibrillar ATP-ase at pH 9.4 for the staining, the capillaries were visualized with alkaline phosphatase and PAS reactions, and in each case 1,000 muscle fibers with their capillaries were estimated. In the intact muscles the capillary count ranged from 1,500 to 1,910 (mean 1,740) per 1,000 fibers. During the 1st month following the rupture the decrease in the capillary count of the muscle occurred rapidly, being after 4-7, 8-10, and 18-29 days 36%, 52%, and 66%, respectively, as compared to the contralateral muscles. After 2 months a decrease of approx. 70% was found in the amount of capillaries compared with the contralateral muscles. The obliteration of the capillaries was particularly pronounced in the amount of anastomoses. These results indicate that the capillary supply of the human M. biceps brachii decreases enormously during the 1st month after a tenotomy.