Histological evaluation of the spleen after acute bleeding followed by blood replacement with two different physiologic solutions

Abstract

Background: The spleen is important for many hematopoietic and immunological functions, namely hemodynamic compensation during hemorrhagic shock, with a crucial role in the compensation of hypovolaemia, on restoring blood volume in situations of acute haemorrhage. Also, the administration of physiological solutions is of great importance for the correction of circulating volume, avoiding the complications of hypovolaemia.

Objectives: To evaluate spleen’s histopathological changes in pigs associated with volume replacement using two different physiologic solutions, after acute bleeding.

Methods: 31 Large White pigs under general anaesthesia with propofol and remifentanil. A total of 25ml/kg of blood was passively removed during 20 minutes. Intravascular volume was replaced using Ringer Lactate 25 ml/kg (Group 1- thirteen pigs) and HES 130/0.4 20 ml/kg (Group 2- eleven pigs). Spleen samples were processed for routine hystologic evaluation. Congestion, inflammatory infiltrate, ellipsoids enlargement and follicular lymphoid hyperplasia were evaluated in a semi-quantitative score.

Results: Follicular lymphoid hyperplasia was exacerbated in group 1 (84.6 %; grade III), when comparing with group 2 (36.4 %; grade III). The remaining lesions did not show differences between group 1 and group 2.

Conclusion: Volume replacement with HES 130/0.4 may reduce follicular lymphoid hyperplasia when compared with volume replacement with Ringer Lactate.