OUR EXPERIMENTAL preparation, "The Living Extracorporeal Eye,"1,2 permits us to examine thromboembolic phenomena intravascularly under microscopic magnification in the microcirculation of a living organ. Additionally, the composition of the oxygenated arterial blood supply is under our control and not altered by feedback mechanisms triggered by neurogenic or blood-borne signals.
In this paper we describe some of our initial attempts to define the sequence and components of thromboembolic phenomena obstructing the microcirculation. These include induced platelet aggregation, thrombin evolution produced by several techniques, and venous erythrothrombosis induced by intravascular hemagglutination. We have studied the influence of sodium heparin, sodium warfarin, and clinical dextran on these events. These phenomena are then related to the events observed when silicone-handled human blood without added anticoagulant is perfused intravascularly until clotting evolves spontaneously.
Methods and Materials
The living extracorporeal eye is a bovine eye enucleated immediately after slaughter. The ciliary artery is catheterized forthwith