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Updated: Dec 28, 2025

Real-Time Assessment of Spinal Cord Microperfusion in a Porcine Model of Ischemia/Reperfusion
Published on: December 10, 2020
Effects of Extended Lower Extremity Cooling Following Zone 3 REBOA in a Porcine Hemorrhage Model
Harris W Kashtan1,2,3, Meryl A Simon1,2,4, Carl A Beyer1,2,3
1Clinical Investigation Facility, David Grant USAF Medical Center, 101 Bodin Cir, Travis Air Force Base, CA.
Introduction:
External cooling of ischemic limbs has been shown to have a significant protective benefit for durations up to 4 hours.
Materials And Methods:
It was hypothesized that this benefit could be extended to 8 hours. Six swine were anesthetized and instrumented, then underwent a 25% total blood volume hemorrhage. Animals were randomized to hypothermia or normothermia followed by 8 hours of Zone 3 resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta, then resuscitation with shed blood, warming, and 3 hours of critical care. Physiologic parameters were continuously recorded, and laboratory specimens were obtained at regular intervals.
Results:
There were no significant differences between groups at baseline. There were no significant differences between creatine kinase in the hypothermia group when compared to the normothermia group (median [IQR] = 15,206 U/mL [12,476-19,987] vs 23,027 U/mL [18,745-26,843]); P = 0.13) at the end of the study. Similarly, serum myoglobin was also not significantly different in the hypothermia group after 8 hours (7,345 ng/mL [5,082-10,732] vs 5,126 ng/mL [4,720-5,298]; P = 0.28). No histologic differences were observed in hind limb skeletal muscle.
Conclusion:
While external cooling during prolonged Zone 3 resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta appears to decrease ischemic muscle injury, this benefit appears to be time dependent. As the ischemic time approaches 8 hours, the benefit from hypothermia decreases.

