Relations of Abnormal and Injury Electric Potential Differences to Intravascular Thrombosis

Abstract

In the course of studies to determine the relationship of injury potential difference (P. D.) in blood vessel walls to intravascular thrombosis, recordings of P. D. in the normal and subsequently injured blood vessel were made. The studies in general confirmed the impression that injury to the blood vessel wall changed the internal polarity from negative to positive. On a theoretical basis it was detd. that if the injury currents due to crushing could be reduced by an electrical insulator then the injured insulated areas of blood vessels should thrombose more slowly than the injured uninsulated areas. Polyethelene insulators applied to injured areas of blood vessel did prevent thrombosis over a period of time tending to confirm the hypothesis. These findings indicate that injury P. D. in blood vessels may be related to intravascular thrombosis.