ESTABLISHING A RESUSCITATION MODEL IN RABBITS WITH CLOSED-THORACIC CARDIOPULMONARY BYPASS

This study aims to establish an animal model of resuscitation in rabbi ts by using closed-thoracic cardiopulmonary by-pass (CTCPB). The rabbi ts were randomly divided into four groups according to cardiac arrest times which were 8, 10, 12, and 15 min. Neurologic outcome and blood l actate were determined within 150 min after resuscitation. It was indi cated that the rabbits' neurologic functions were progressively injure d with prolonged cardiac arrest time. The threshold of circulatory arr est time that induced a vegetative state in the rabbits was between 10 and 12 min. There were no significant differences in cardiac resuscit ability among the four groups, as was so for plasma lactate, although it increased significantly from the control levels. The establishment of a small-animal model of resuscitation by using CTCPB, and the probl ems in dealing with it are also described and discussed in detail in t his paper. Our experience indicated that this is a simple, convenient, and economical animal model for the study of resuscitation.