Histopathological characterization of intimal lesions and arterial wall calcification in the arteries of the leg of elderly cadavers

Abstract

Introduction: Although arteries of the leg have been studied in extensively diseased amputation specimens, little is known about the composition of vascular lesions present in the general population. The aim of this study was to describe the natural development of adaptive intimal thickening, atherosclerotic lesion development and vascular calcification in the leg of a general elderly population. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and seventy postmortem samples from the popliteal and posterior tibial arteries of 14 elderly cadavers were studied histologically. Results: Atherosclerotic lesions were more frequently observed in the popliteal (60%) than in the posterior tibial artery (34%; p <25% of plaque area). Atherosclerotic plaque calcification was observed more often in the popliteal (39%) than in the posterior tibial samples (17%; p