Renal vascular response to haemorrhage in the rabbit after pentobarbitone, chloralose-urethane and ether anaesthesia

1. Total renal blood flow and its cortical distribution were measured by the microsphere technique before and after haemorrhage in conscious rabbits, and after haemorrhage in rabbits anaesthetized with pentobarbitone, chloralose-urethane or ether. 2. The average blood loss necessary to achieve a fall in systolic blood pressure to about 65 mmHg was 101 ml in conscious rabbits and 38, 90 and 118 ml in weight-matched groups of rabbits anaesthetized with pentobarbitone, chloralose-urethane and ether respectively. 3. After haemorrhage in conscious rabbits total renal blood flow fell by 25%, this fall being confined to the superficial renal cortex. 4. In rabbits subject to haemorrhage under pentobarbitone anaesthesia renal blood flow fell by a further 23% when compared with the conscious bled rabbits. This reduction in blood flow was confined to the superficial cortex. 5. Haemorrhage in the rabbits subjected to chloralose-urethane anaesthesia caused no significant change in renal blood flow, as compared with conscious bled rabbits. 6. Haemorrhage under ether anaesthesia was associated with a further 33% fall in total renal blood flow, as compared with conscious bled rabbits. This was associated with a fall of 32% and 34% in superficial and deep cortical blood flow respectively. 7. Animals subjected to general anaesthesia may be particularly susceptible to the renal haemodynamic effects of haemorrhage.