[Study of the muscular perfusion of the lower limbs using thallium 201 scintigraphy before and after lumbar sympathectomy in 13 patients].

Scintigraphy with 201-Thallium is a useful method for exploring muscle circulation in lower limbs of patients with arteritis. Comparative values with time can be obtained by studying respective isotopic activity ratios of the thigh, calf and foot. Unilateral isolated lumbar sympathectomy was performed in 13 patients for arteriopathy of the lower limbs (7 claudications, 4 isolated trophic disorders, 1 thrash-foot and 1 juvenile arteriopathy). Investigations included clinical and arteriographic explorations and functional tests (Doppler, distal pressure, digital plethysmography and 201-Thallium muscle scintigraphy) before and after operation. Pathology of the sympathetic chain was determined in each case. Short-term (2 weeks) follow up examinations gave data showing absence of correlation between the operative procedure and scintigraphy results. Muscle perfusion was improved in only 3 cases: one presented paradoxical improvement contralateral to the sympathectomy, while no change from the pre-operative values was recorded in 9 patients. The findings raise questions concerning the reproducibility of the scintigraphic method, and also confirm the pathogenic hypothesis by which lumbar sympathectomy has only a limited effect on muscle circulation.