Lesions of the kidney in tourniquet shock: ultrastructural study

Light microscope and ultrastructural changes in the rat kidney in tourniquet shock are described. The animals (24) were divided into two series; in the first one, the hind limb was kept at room temperature; in the second series, prerefrigeration was used. The effects of different ischemia were studied (2,4,8, and 12 hours for warm ischemia; 4,8,12, and 16 hours for cold ischemia). The animals were sacrificed at 3, 10, and 30 days. Pathological changes were evident, consisting in an increase of cytosomes in the proximal tubules and apical vacuolation in collecting ducts; numerous cytosomes including myelin-like structures were also seen. Large differences between warm and cold ischemia alterations were found. The changes in the tubules were clearly less important in cold ischemia. The authors conclude that there is a protective effect in regard to prevention of renal pathology affordable by prerefrigeration of a limb for reimplantation.