Forty-one Variables Following Thoracotomy in Calves

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Abstract
Calves (7) underwent thoracotomy to study the response of 41 physiologic variables over a 14 day post-operative period for comparison to a series of left ventricular bypass pump implants. The experimental protocols were identical to the pump implant protocols except that the sham operated animals did not receive antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs and the pumps were not implanted. Of the 41 variables studied, 13 changed significantly during the post-operative period. Heart rate, hematocrit, whole blood Hb and fibrinogen concentration decreased and fibrinogen survival, stroke volume, cardiac output, arterial blood pH, pCO2 [partial pressure of CO2] and pO2 [partial pressure of O2], plasma Na concentration and urinary excretion rates of Na and K increased from the 1st or 2nd to the 14th post-operative day. Heart rate and hematocrit decreased in 18 animals in which left ventricular bypass pumps were implanted. The decrease in heart rate is toward the unoperated control value as the calves recover from operative stress. The decrease in hematocrit is probably the result of daily removal of blood for the physiologic studies because there was no evidence of hemorrhage or red blood cell destruction.

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