The Effect of Venous Stasis on Intraosseous Pressure and Longitudinal Bone Growth in the Dog

Epiphyseal and diaphyseal intramedullary pressures and saphenous venous pressures were determined in the hind limbs of normal growing dogs, growing dogs with femoral arteriovenous fistulae, and growing dogs with selected venous ligations. Depending on the veins ligated, unilateral or bilateral passive venous stasis was produced, but neither caused increased bone growth. An arteriovenous fistula induced increased bone growth and was associated with equalization of epiphyseal and diaphyseal intramedullary pressures and with a greater than normal increase in these pressures between the first and second readings. In normal animals, the intramedullary pressures change with growth.