DIRECT MEASUREMENT OF ARTERIOVENOUS ANASTOMOTIC BLOOD-FLOW IN THE SEPTIC CANINE HINDLIMB

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 85  (3) , 275-282
Abstract
Absolute blood flow through hindlimb capillaries and arteriovenous anastomoses (AVA) was determined by the radioactive microsphere technique of relative shunt measurement combined with direct (electromagnetic) measurement of femoral artery blood flow. Studies were performed before and 72 h after infection was created in 6 dogs by implanting fecal-contaminated wicks in 1 hindlimb. Three control dogs had sterile wicks implanted. Septic dogs demonstrated decreased arterial pressure and increased core temperature with no change in mean cardiac index. Infected legs had increased total femoral blood flow, decreased peripheral resistance, decreased (AV) O2 difference, but unchanged O2 consumption. Paw temperature increased in infected and normal contralateral limbs. Muscle blood flow (MBF) (133Xe clearance) increased only in infected legs. AV shunting increased 5-fold and AVA flow increased 7-fold in infected hindlimbs, significantly more than that in contralateral or control limbs. Increased AV shunting correlated highly (r [correlation coefficient] = 0.95) with increased total femoral blood flow in infected legs, but increased MBF was not correlated (r = 0.05). Despite increased MBF, increased AVA flow occurs in septic canine hindlimbs and contributes to the low-resistance, high-flow, but unchanged O2 consumption described in this model.