[Oxygen-carrying solutions improve tissue oxygenation in striated skin muscle subjected to critical ischemia]

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin solution DCLHb (diaspirin-crosslinked hemoglobin) on microvascular perfusion and tissue oxygenation in striated skin muscle after the induction of critical ischemia followed by reperfusion.

Using intravital fluorescence microscopy the functional capillary density was analyzed in the striated skin muscle of Syrian golden hamsters before the induction of a 4-h period of ischemia and again after 0.5 h, 2 h and 24 h of reperfusion ( n=8 in each group). In other animals ( n=8 in each group), the identical protocol was applied to determine tissue oxygenation by means of the multi-wire surface electrode (MDO, Eschweiler, Kiel, Germany). Animals in the treatment group ( n=8) received a bolus infusion of 5 ml of DCLHb per kg of body wt. (10 g/dl; Baxter, Ill., USA) 15 min before reperfusion. Control animals ( n=8) received equivalent volumes of isotonic saline (Braun, Melsungen, Germany). RESULTS. Functional capillary density was dramatically reduced in control animals, while in DCLHb-treated animals significantly higher values were observed. Efficient restoration of tissue PO(2) was also seen in DCLHb-treated animals and not in control animals.

These results show that the oxygen-carrying solution DCLHb is significantly more efficient than the commonly used crystalloid solutions in restoration of tissue PO(2) after ischemia-reperfusion. The use of this solution therefore appears promising as a means of protecting the tissue put at risk by ischemia from reperfusion damage.