Aetiology and prophylaxis of reperfusion injuries.

In recent years the importance of oxyradicals in clinical veterinary medici ne is incessantly grown. An important example in cattle breeding is the dis placed abomasum in dairy cows. The antioxidative status of the animals is r epresentable by means of the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the blood. Post operationem the activity of SOD decreased very fast. In cows wi th left abomasal displacement this activity increased within 24 hours to th e starting level, but in cows with right abomasal displacement the SOD-acti vity in this period increased only insignificantly. Because of the low leve l of SOD-activity in blood serum the measuring should take place in erythro cyte lysate. Today there are many possibilities of therapeutical intervention of reperfu sion injury, but their clinical efficiency has to be ascertained. The treat ment of cows with displaced abomasum with ascorbate, tocopherole or prednis olone before the replacement of the abomasum shows first success in terms o f the antioxidative and metabolic status.