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Updated: Jun 17, 2026
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A Murine Model of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Published on: November 21, 2013
The cerebral microcirculation is protected during experimental hemorrhagic shock
Zhi Wan1, Shijie Sun, Giuseppe Ristagno
1Weil Institute of Critical Care Medicine, Rancho Mirage, CA, USA.
Critical Care Medicine
|January 14, 2010
Summary
Cerebral microcirculation remains unaffected during hemorrhagic shock, unlike buccal microcirculation which decreases and then recovers with fluid resuscitation. This study highlights preserved brain blood flow during significant blood loss.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Hemorrhagic Shock Research
- Microcirculation Studies
Background:
- Buccal microcirculation changes indicate hemorrhage severity.
- Cerebral microcirculation's response to shock is less understood.
- Hypothesis: Cerebral microcirculation is preserved during hemorrhagic shock.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cerebral microcirculation during hemorrhagic shock.
- To compare cerebral and buccal microcirculatory responses to blood loss.
- To assess the impact of fluid resuscitation on these microcirculations.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, randomized, controlled animal study using Sprague-Dawley rats.
- Orthogonal polarization spectral imaging for cerebral microcirculation.
- Measurement of macrocirculatory and microcirculatory parameters during hemorrhage and resuscitation.
Main Results:
- Hemorrhage reduced mean arterial pressure and cardiac output, increasing lactate.
- Buccal microcirculation decreased with bleeding but recovered post-resuscitation.
- Cerebral microcirculation showed no significant changes during hemorrhage or resuscitation.
Conclusions:
- Cerebral microvascular flow is preserved during moderate to severe blood loss.
- This contrasts with systemic changes and buccal microcirculatory decreases in hemorrhagic shock.
- The brain's microcirculation exhibits resilience to acute hypovolemia.
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