Lethality of Intravascular Injections of Spleen and Liver Cells

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Abstract
The intravascular introduction of adult or fetal liver, and adult spleen cell suspensions as well as adult liver homogenate can be acutely fatal in dogs. Lethality is related to dosage and the lethal dose is not significantly affected by heparinization. The lethal dose is less than that normally estimated to be necesary for hematopoietic replacement after total body radiation. Death from intravenous injections is due to acute pulmonary vascular obstruction by the injected material. Death from continued sustained intra-arterial injections is due to retrograde blockage of the arterial tree by cell preparations with occlusion of vital arteries. Death from intially sublethal intra-arterial injection is due to late (12- 24 hr) hemorrhage which is the direct result of acute depletion of essential clotting factors. Cell preparations possess a significant amount of thromboplastic activity and it is postulated that their intravascular introduction causes a state of hypercoagulability. When introduced at a very slow rate this thromoboplastic activity causes marked depletion of fibrinogen and other clotting factors. While ECG changes are often marked and fairly consistent, they are of no prognostic value in predicting death. Although qualitative and quantitative aspects of lethality of liver and spleen cell infusions in man have not been evaluated, the potential dangers of such infusions should be recognized.