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Updated: Apr 9, 2026

The Rabbit Blood-shunt Model for the Study of Acute and Late Sequelae of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Technical Aspects
Published on: October 2, 2014
Characterization of a Rabbit Model of Traumatic Hemorrhagic Shock Under High-Altitude Cold Conditions
Weihao Chai1, Han Shi1, Jiajia Li1
1Graduate School of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China.
Abstract:
High-altitude hypoxia and cold often co-occur in traumatic hemorrhagic shock (THS), yet time-resolved models that quantify their interaction with blood loss are scarce. We established a composite-trauma THS model in New Zealand rabbits at ≈ 5,000 m equivalent altitude and 8 ± 2°C. Animals were randomized to six groups [HS (hemorrhagic shock); HS + COL (hemorrhagic shock + cold); HS+HYP (hemorrhagic shock + hypoxia); HS+HYP+COL (hemorrhagic shock + hypoxia + cold); Sham (normoxia, normothermia, no HS); HYP+COL (hypoxia + cold, no HS)]. Trauma comprised partial hepatectomy, total splenectomy, and femoral fracture; controlled hemorrhage lowered mean arterial pressure to 65-75 mmHg for 5-10 minutes without resuscitation or active warming. At Pre/0/30/60/90/120 minutes, we recorded vital signs, blood gases/metabolites, coagulation-fibrinolysis, electrolytes/complete blood count, liver-kidney indices, cytokines, and terminal histology. Group × time mixed models revealed stable dose-response behavior and supra-additive injury in HS+HYP+COL: lactate ≈9.33 ± 0.17 mmol/L at 120 minutes, nadir arterial pH ≈6.52 ± 0.03, progressive Na + ↓/Cl - ↑/K + ↑/iCa 2+ ↓, hypocoagulability with secondary fibrinolysis (prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and thrombin time were prolonged; fibrinogen and antithrombin↓; D-dimer/fibrin(ogen) degradation products (↑), and early hepatorenal injury with concurrent tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6,IL-1β, and IL-10 surges. This reusable, quantifiable, time-resolved platform reveals that high-altitude hypoxia and cold amplify inflammation-endothelium-coagulation-metabolic imbalance beyond hemorrhage alone and supports evaluation of multi-axis strategies, including rewarming/oxygenation, balanced low-chloride fluids with electrolyte-stratified care, endothelial/glycocalyx protection, and immune-fibrinolysis modulation.

