This study examined the protective effect of dexamethansone following bilateral forebrain ischemia in a rat model of two-vessel occlusion. Twenty rats were subjected to dexamethasone (1 mg/kg intravenously) before bilateral common carotid artery occlusion for 10 minutes. Carotid artery blood flow was restored and the rats were terminated by a perfusion-fixation method after 7 days. Ten minutes of two-vessel occlusion produced cellular ischemic change in the cerebral hemispheres of most rats. This region was studied mainly with light microscope, and it was noticed that the CA 1 neuron in the hippocampus is the most vulnerable to ischemia. Ischemic neuronal damage was graded in accordance with conventional neuropathological criteria. The grade had no statistical significance.
Animals ; Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Cerebrum ; Dexamethasone* ; Hippocampus ; Ischemia ; Models, Animal ; Neurons ; Prosencephalon* ; Rats

The authors evaluated the stress response to cardiopulmonary bypass by measuring plasma Ig G, A, M and C3, C4concentrations. Anesthesia was induced with fentanyl, and all patients were underwent open heart surgery using bubble type heart-lung machine. Blood samples were obtained pre-induction, sternotomy, 10 min. and 30 min. after cardiopulmonary bypass, and 10 min. after termina tion of cardiopulmonary bypass and after transport to L.C.U. IgG, A, M and complement C3, C4concentrations were measured by Turbidmeter using Behring Turbidquant. The results were as follows: 1) Plasma concentrations of IgG, A, M and C3, C4 at preinduction period were 1345. 00+/-194. 42, 289. 10+/-100.4, 177.43+/-72.65, 59.20+/-16.33, 20.50+/-7.54 mg/dl., respectively. 2) Ten min. after cardiopulmonary bypass, the plasma concentration was significantly decreased when compared with the baseline values (p<0.01). 3) Thirty min. after cardiopulmonary bypass, the plasma concentration of the complenent C3, C4 were significantly decreascd (p<0.01). 4) In the 1ntensive care unit, Ig and complement C3, C4 were increased, but did not reach control values. Considering the above results, we conclude that the decrease of plasma Ig G, A, M and complenent C3, C4concentrations are related to mechanical stress of the cardiopulmonary bypass, and to certain activators such as denaturated protein, heterogenous RBCs, and foreign materials, etc.
Anesthesia* ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass* ; Complement C3* ; Complement C4 ; Complement System Proteins* ; Fentanyl* ; Heart-Lung Machine ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G* ; Immunoglobulins* ; Plasma ; Sternotomy ; Stress, Mechanical ; Thoracic Surgery

No abstract available.
Animals ; Brain* ; Ischemia* ; Prosencephalon* ; Rats*

The pathologic effects of barbiturates on cerebral ischemia were investigated in 40 male rats. Twenty animals given intravenous thiopental (4 mg/kg) before 10-minute occlusion of both common carotid arteries with mean arterial pressure of 50 mmHg were compared to 20 control animals which were not treated with thiopental. 1) There were no significant statistical differences in body weight, body temperature and mean arterial pressure between the two groups. 2) The experimental group treated with barbiturates showed a significant decrease in neuronal damage at the hippocampus CA 1 area (p<0.0001). From the above results, barbiturates are effective in preventing damage of the nervous tissue during brain ischemia.
Animals ; Arterial Pressure ; Barbiturates* ; Body Temperature ; Body Weight ; Brain Ischemia ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Male ; Neurons ; Prosencephalon* ; Rats* ; Thiopental