BLOOD FLOW IN EXTREMITIES AFFECTED BY ANTERIOR POLIOMYELITIS

It has generally been accepted that an extremity affected by anterior poliomyelitis, with atrophy of voluntary muscle, suffers from a definite diminution in blood supply. In fact, the rationale for some of the methods of treatment of this condition has had for a purpose the augmentation of the peripheral circulation through the involved muscles. Examination of literature, however, reveals that definite proof for such a view does not exist. In order to elucidate this point, the peripheral circulation in a series of 27 patients with anterior poliomyelitis was studied by means of the venous occlusion plethysmographic method. METHOD The series was limited to subjects with unilateral involvement of an extremity, so that in each instance the contralateral normal limb could be utilized as a control. Readings of blood flow during rest, in cubic centimeters of blood per minute per hundred cubic centimeters of limb volume, were obtained either on two