OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of hypertonic sodium chloride hydroxyethyl starch 40 injection (HSH) in treatment of acute intracranial hypertension complicated by hemorrhagic shock in dogs, and explore the mechanism of the effects of HSH.

METHODSTwenty dogs were randomized into 4 equal groups, namely the 7.5% NaCl (HS) group, Ringer-Lactates solution (RL) group, hydroxyethyl strarch (HES) group, and HSH group. Canine models of acute intracranial hypertension complicated by hemorrhagic shock were established by epidural balloon inflation with saline and rapid discharge of the arterial blood. One hour after the induced shock, the dogs were given HS (6 ml/kg), RL of 3-fold volume of blood loss, HES of equivalent volume of blood loss, and HSH 8 ml/kg in the 4 groups, respectively. During the shock and resuscitationperiod, the intracranial pressure (ICP), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) of the dogs were monitored, and the serum sodium level and plasma osmolality were measured at 30 min, 1 h and 4 h after the resuscitation.

RESULTSAll dogs had similar MAP, CPP, and ICP before resuscitation (P>0.05). After resuscitation, the MAP was significantly improved (P<0.01), but the dogs in HSH group exhibited the fastest response; with the exception of the dogs in HS group to have significantly decreased MAP 2 h after resuscitation (P<0.01), all the other dogs maintained the MAP for 4 h. The CPP was also significantly increased after resuscitation (P<0.01), and in HS group, CPP decreased significantly after 2 h (P<0.01), and HSH group maintained the high CPP after 4 h. The ICP was increased significantly in RL and HES groups after resuscitation (P<0.01), reaching the peak level at 1 and 3 h, respectively, but in HS and HSH groups, the ICP decreased significantly to the lowest level at 1 h (P<0.01) which was maintained for 4 h. After resuscitation, the plasma sodium and plasma osmolality were significantly increased in HSH and HS groups.

CONCLUSIONIn dogs with acute intracranial hypertension and hemorrhagic shock, HSH can effectively resuscitate hemorrhagic shock and decrease ICP, and the effect is longer-lasting than that of HS.