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Updated: Mar 29, 2026
Description of a Swine Infant Model of Volume-Controlled Hemorrhagic Shock
Published on: November 3, 2023
Microcirculatory alterations during haemorrhagic shock and after resuscitation in a paediatric animal model
Rafael González1, Javier Urbano1, Jorge López1
1Pediatric Intensive Care Department, Gregorio Marañón University General Hospital, Madrid, Spain; Gregorio Marañon Health Research Institute, Madrid, Spain; Mather-Child Health and Development Network (RedSAMID), Spain.
Background:
Haemorrhagic shock is frequent in paediatric trauma patients and after cardiac surgery, especially after cardiopulmonary bypass. It has demonstrated to be related to bad outcome.
Objectives:
To evaluate changes on microcirculatory parameters during haemorrhagic shock and resuscitation in a paediatric animal model. To determine correlation between microcirculatory parameters and other variables routinely used in the monitoring of haemorrhagic shock.
Methods:
Experimental study on 17 Maryland pigs. Thirty minutes after haemorrhagic shock induction by controlled bleed animals were randomly assigned to three treatment groups receiving 0.9% normal saline, 5% albumin with 3% hypertonic saline, or 5% albumin with 3% hypertonic saline plus a bolus of terlipressin. Changes on microcirculation (perfused vessel density (PVD), microvascular blood flow (MFI) and heterogeneity index (HI)) were evaluated and compared with changes on macrocirculation and tisular perfusion parameters.
Results:
Shock altered microcirculation: PVD decreased from 13.5 to 12.3 mm mm(-2) (p=0.05), MFI decreased from 2.7 to 1.9 (p<0.001) and HI increased from 0.2 to 0.5 (p<0.001). After treatment, microcirculatory parameters returned to baseline (PVD 13.6 mm mm(-2) (p<0.05), MFI 2.6 (p<0.001) and HI 0.3 (p<0.05)). Microcirculatory parameters showed moderate correlation with other parameters of tissue perfusion. There were no differences between treatments.
Conclusions:
Haemorrhagic shock causes important microcirculatory alterations, which are reversed after treatment. Microcirculation should be assessed during haemorrhagic shock providing additional information to guide resuscitation.
