Objective: To evaluate the effect of polyethylene oxide (PEO) on improving blood perfusion of chronic ischemic hindlimb in rats by contrast echocardiography.
Methods: A chronic hindlimb ischemia model was established in 12 Wistar rats by ligating one side of the femoral artery, and then the rats were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group (n=6), and PEO and physiological Saline for a total of 2 weeks of treatment. Contrast echocardiography was performed at different time points to measure the blood flow of the ischemic hindlimb skeletal muscle and the blood flow reserve was measured on the 28th day.
Results: From the 7th day, the blood flow of the ischemic hindlimb skeletal muscle in the PEO group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). On the 28th day, the blood flow reserve and vascular volume of the ischemic hindlimb skeletal muscle in the PEO group were significantly higher than control group (P<0.05).
Conclusion: PEO significantly improves the blood flow reserve and blood flow of skeletal muscle of chronic hindlimb ischemia model rats, and increases the vascular volume of chronic ischemic hindlimb skeletal muscle, suggesting that PEO may promote angiogenesis and arterial development by increasing blood flow shear force. formation process, thereby improving blood perfusion in the ischemic hindlimb.