Abstract
The experiment was designed for the purpose of evaluating the effect of exchange transfusion, especially fresh blood exchange transfusion, using arterio-venous line. Young rabbits, age around 3 weeks and weight of 258±33g (mean±SD), were used. Twelve rabbits (group I) were treated with sham operation. Twenty-eight rabbits (group II) were intravenously given 40mg/kg of lipopolysaccharide (LPS Difco, E. Coli 0111: B4). Sixty minutes after injection of LPS, 12 rabbits (group III) were given 30ml of exchange transfusion of fresh blood using a connecting circuit between the artery of adult rabbit and the vein of young rabbit. Sixty minutes after injection of LPS, 12 rabbits (group IV) were given 30ml of exchange transfusion of the arterial blood, which had been kept in the room air for 30 to 130 minutes after drawing. As the result, the survival rate after 24 hours was 100% in group I and III, 29% in group II and 58% in group IV. Significant difference (P<0.05) was observed between group II and III, group II and IV, and group III and IV. After injection of LPS, increase of the heart rate and decrease of the blood pressure were observed in group II, III and IV. Decrease of the blood pressure was smaller in group III than in group II and IV. After injection of LPS, respiratory alkalosis was observed in group III and IV. Hematologically, decrease of the white blood cell and platelet was observed after injection of LPS. But the recovery of platelet count in group III was remarkable after exchange transfusion via arterio-venous line. Histopathologically, in the groups with injection of LPS, noticeable changes and degenerations were observed in the kidneies, liver and thymus,but only little change was observed in the lung. These pathologically abnormal findings were marked in mortal cases.
