THE EFFECT OF MANNITOL ON REPERFUSION AFTER SEVERE INDUCED SUBTOTAL ISCHEMIA OF THE LEG - A HEMODYNAMIC, BIOCHEMICAL AND METABOLIC STUDY INA PIG HIND-LIMB MODEL

Revascularization of acutely ischemic muscle tissue is followed by ede ma, decreased oxygen utilization, increased vascular resistance and ma ssive efflux of intracellular compounds indicating loss of cellular in tegrity, with resultant irreversible damage. In this pig hind-limb stu dy, 8 pigs were submitted to standardized subtotal ischemia of one leg and mannitol was administered i.v. prior to and during 2.5 hours of r eperfusion. Compared to 9 controls, the mannitol treated pigs had incr eased blood flow to the legs, increased oxygen consumption and decreas ed release of intracellular compounds (CK). This indicates the mannito l attenuates the ischemia/reperfusion syndrome. Muscle energy metaboli c parameters showed a similar response to ischemia for both mannitol-t reated pigs and controls and no differences in recovery were detected during 2.5 hours differences in recovery were detected during 2.5 hour s of reperfusion between the groups.