DOES GRANULOCYTE DEPLETION PROTECT AGAINST ISCHEMIC MUSCLE NECROSIS

Male Wistar rats were submitted to complete hindlimb ischaemia for 4.5 h. Six animals were injected with antineutrophilic serum (ANS) pre- a nd post-operatively, and eight animals received normal sheep serum (NS S). The rats were killed 72h after the insult, and the areas of necros is in the anterior tibial muscles were measured morphometrically on hi stological slides. In the NSS group there was a considerable postopera tive increase in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs) in peripheral bl ood, while treatment with ANS resulted in total depletion of PMNLs dur ing ischaemia and early reperfusion. There was 31% necrosis in the NSS group and 28% necrosis in the ANS group. This difference was not sign ificant (p = 0.7). It is concluded that depletion of PMNLs had no effe ct on the infarct size in the anterior tibial muscle after 4.5 h of co mplete hindlimb ischaemia and 72 h Of reperfusion.