Effect of venous stasis on longitudinal bone growth in the rabbit.

The effect of ligation of veins on the longitudinal bone growth was studied in growing white rabbits. The daily longitudinal bone growth was determined with the tettacycline technique from the day before up to 40 days after operation. Ligation of the femoral vein, the circumflexal veins, and the deep femoral vein resulted in a temporary venous stasis. Additional ligation of the sciatic vein resulted in the same degree of venous stasis but a more longstanding effect. Neither of the operations resulted in growth stimulation or growth retardation compared with the control side. On the contrary, the ligation resulted in a minor temporary general growth retardation during the first days after the operation.