Capillary Microscopy In Inflammatory Dermatoses

Abstract

Alterations of the microvasculature in various inflammatory dermatoses were observed and photographed with the capillary microscope. Since it is impossible to visualize the vessel wall itself with present techniques of capillary microscopy, visible alterations in capillary blood flow actually represent a changed state of filling of capillary vessels. In addition, sludging and extravasated erythrocytes can be observed. In the dermatoses studied, vascular changes (opening of previously closed vessels, vascular damage, vascular proliferation, vascular recovery) were found to be similar to those previously described in an investigation on induced inflammation of the skin. It is postulated, that (1) microscopic capillary changes are not specific for a given disease, but rather represent one or several stages of inflammation; (2) distinctive capillary microscopic pictures in the individual diseases studied are apparently chiefly dependent on nonvascular pathology.