Central hemodynamics and blood flow distribution during infusion of perflubron emulsion or its vehicle: effects in anesthetized dogs.

Mongrel dogs were anesthetized and prepared for hemodynamic monitoring and the measurement of blood flow distribution using radionuclide-labelled microspheres (15 +/- 2 microns). Four dogs were infused with a perflubron emulsion (E) (90% w/v perflubron containing egg yolk phospholipid as a stabilizer) and five dogs were infused with the vehicle (V) (same composition without the perfluorocarbon). Both infusions were given at the dose of 3 ml/Kg over a 30-minute period. Measurements of blood pressures and cardiac output were made before, at 12 minutes of the infusion and at 5, 30 and 60 minutes post-infusion. Blood flow distribution was determined before, at the 15th minute of the infusion and at 2 and 60 minutes post-infusion. One dog infused with V exhibited a hypotensive reaction and urticaria; this was excluded from the group statistics. Neither group showed statistically significant hemodynamic changes during or after the infusion, although both E and V groups showed transient elevation of the stroke volume. Blood flows were raised consistently to the heart and renal cortex and transiently to some skeletal muscles by E treatment.