Oxygen consumption and recovery from surgical shock in rats: a comparison of the efficacy of different plasma substitutes.

Shock was induced in 537 rats by exteriorization of the intestines and occlusion of the superior mesenteric circulation for 1 hour. After 1 hour of this intestinal ischemia shock, oxygen consumption (VO2) decreased to half of the preexperimental values. When no infusion was given, the survival rate at 24 hours was 22%; this was correlated with the degree of restoration of VO2 at 1 hour after shock. VO2 and survival rate improved with infusion of albumin, dextran 40, and dextran 40, and dextran 70. With increasing doses of colloids, both VO2 and survival rate increased; the optimal effect was at the dose of 2 g/kg body weight. When no other therapy was given, colloids at concentrations of 3.5 or 6% solutions had a better effect on survival than the 10% solution. Colloids were more effective than Ringer's acetate when the latter was given in the same volume and up to three times the volume of the colloids.