Capillary disturbances in man

Abstract

Capillary disturbances are pathological confines of dermatology and angiology. The word “histangiopathy” must be prefered to the one “microangiopathy” (CURRI and MERLEN). According to the nomenclature established in 1972 by the International Union of Angiology, we distinguish 1) permanent acrosyndromes as Acrocyanosis, a group of six facets, where hypotonia and stasis in the capillary-venular anastomoses, more numerous than normally and above all more enlarged (MERLEN and CURRI 1965), beside chillblains, livedo, red palms and soles ... pure subjective acrorhigosis is at the base. 2) Paroxystic acrosyndromes due to coldness, Raynaud type or to heat, erythermalgia type. Raynaud’s phenomenon and diseases are exposed, nobody has the right to assimilate Raynaud and sclerodermia or loco regional arteriopathy. There is a peculiar pattern of pulpar biopsy. Erythralgia, erythermalgia, acroerythrosis, acromelalgia, causalgia and Sudeck’s dystrophy are very near one another. 3) Dystrophic disturbances are intermediary forms with organic histangiopathies. The former concern livedo racemosa, perniosis, acrodynia, ulcero-mutilating acropathies. The latter are relative to dermatological lesions in the superficial or deep layers of the skin and they are quite different in clinical, anatomical and pathogenical aspects although a relative unity is however secured. A special attention must be paid to the diabetic microangiopathy due to stasis in the capillary-venular segment and shunting of blood by permanent opening of A.V. Anastomoses and blocking devices. There are specific lesions of the myoepithelioid cells of the A.V.A. and of the pericytes.