Protection against experimental small intestinal ischaemia-reperfusion injury with oxygenated perfluorochemical

Intestinal ischaemia-reperfusion (IR) injury frequently occurs in abdominal surgery. Perfluorochemical (PFC) can be used to oxygenate intestinal organs directly and allows adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) production within the submerged organs during ischaemia. This study was designed to evaluate the protective effect of PFC in IR injury, focusing on cytokine production in rat small intestine.

The superior mesenteric artery was occluded in rats for 60 min and the small bowel placed in an intestinal bag containing either normal saline (group 1), oxygenated saline (group 2) or oxygenated PFC (group 3). The arterial clip was subsequently removed, allowing reperfusion. The number of rats that survived for 7 days, tissue ATP levels, biochemical variables, tissue lipid peroxidation (LPO), bacterial cultures and histological changes were examined after reperfusion.

The use of oxygenated PFC in group 3 improved survival compared with the other groups. Serum creatine phosphokinase and lactate dehydrogenase levels in groups 1 and 2 reflected small intestinal damage, and plasma levels of tumour necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 6 were raised. In contrast, oxygenated PFC decreased these levels, and reduced LPO, bacterial translocation and augmented apoptosis of the small intestine after reperfusion.

An intestinal bag containing oxygenated PFC showed protective effects during bowel ischaemia.