MICROANGIOGRAPHIC OBSERVATION OF THE DISTAL FEMORAL EPIPHYSES / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

The distal femoral epiphyses of 18 human foetus and 10 children were studied by microangiographic and histological methods. The results showed that only the articular cartilage is avascular. Characteristic of vascularity in the chondroepiphyses is that the blood vessels coming from inter-condylar fossa are distributed in the center of chondroepiphyses, those coming from medial and lateral aspects of the condyles are distributed in the outer part of the condyles and those closing to epiphyseal plate mainly come from the area superior to the patellar surface and the area superior to the inter-condylar fossa. The secondary center of ossification first takes place around cartilage canal. The increase of the ossification center is faster in the areas adjacent to blood vessels than the areas far from blood vessels. The blood vessels within cartilage canals in the chondroepiphyses transform to epiphyseal vessels which remained as the blood supply to the ossification center during ossification process. Before 2 years of age, the blood vessels supplying the ossification center are 3-5 vessels coming from inter-condylar fossa. After 2 years of age, the blood vessels coming from the area superior to the patellar surface begin to supply the ossification center. After 5 years of age, the blood vessels coming from lateral aspects of the condyles also take part in the supply of the ossification center.