ISCHEMIA-REPERFUSION SYNDROME - AN ALTERNATIVE EXPERIMENTAL-MODEL

Objective. To design an alternative experimental model of ischemia-rep erfusion syndrome. Our model mimics the clinical pattern of the syndro me and also assesses the efficacy of therapeutical protocols. Experime ntal design. Ischemia was induced under general anaesthesia in the pos terior Limbs of 10 sheep by occluding the aorta and vena cava by means of two-way balloon catheters. Ischemia was stopped after 4 hours and blood and histologic parameters determined in the first three hours of revascularization. The animals were divided into three groups: a grou p of 3 sheep in which a sham operation was performed; a control group (5) to assess the efficacy of induced ischemia; the third group (5) to determine the effect of antioxidant and membrane protective drugs to assess the reliability of the model to study the ischemia-reperfusion syndrome. Results. At the end of ischemia, skin temperature was decrea sed (p < 0.04) both in control and treated groups, pH decreased signif icantly soon after reperfusion in the control group (p < 0.04). Reperf usion in control sheep, compared with treated animals, was followed by a significant increase in CPK blood levels (p < 0.009), related to ma rked muscle damage, in particular after reperfusion. Tissue damage det ected at TEM was less severe in treated animals. Conclusions. This mod el is an effective experimental strategy and a means of assessing prev entive treatment.