Angiography of the dilator response in extremity trauma.

The dilatation of major arteries following early after extensive soft tissue trauma was demonstrated angiographically not to be affected by pharmacologic or mechanical contractile stimuli. The proximal spread of the dilatation was not abolished by the division and a reanastomosis of the vessel before the trauma. These results suggest loss or impairment of the contractile ability of the major arteries following early after the trauma.