Venous circulation of radius and metacarpus of buffalo calves (Bubalus bubalis): An osteomedullography study

Osteomedullography was done in 12 buffalo calves to study venous circulation of the radius and metacarpus. Both tourniquet and compression methods provided useful information. Apart from central ascending medullary vein endosteal medullary vessels were also seen to drain the marrow. These vessels ran a straight course independent of central vein and drained into the extraosseous circulation through the proximal metaphyseal veins. In the radius, the endosteal vessels first drained into a large sinus in the proximal metaphyseal region before draining into the metaphyseal vessels. Mostly metacarpals had a single central ascending medullary vein, except in one animal where both 3rd and 4th fused metacarpals had one such vessel independently. Descending central medullary vein was not observed even when contrast material was infused into the proximal metaphyseal region of the radius and metacarpus.