Redistribution of organ blood flow after hemorrhage and resuscitation in full-term piglets

Newborn piglets (aged 1 to 2 days and 7 to 14 days) were used to study (1) the redistribution of organ blood flow after a 25% acute blood loss and (2) the response to resuscitation with shed blood (20 mL/kg), crystalloid (normal saline [NS] or lactated Ringer's [LR]; 60 mL/kg), and colloid (dextran-40, 20 mL/kg). Hemodynamic parameters showed little differences in the response to hemorrhage and resuscitation. The two age groups had no significant differences in parameters or blood flow (results combined). The animals maintained flow to the heart and central nervous system (CNS) and had significantly decreased flow to the kidneys and splanchnic organs. In the gastrointestinal tract, the small intestine was affected most severely, with a significant decrease in blood flow, especially to the mucosa. In all organ systems, Dextran 40 restored blood flow to levels significantly above the baseline. Shed blood and crystalloid restored flow to organs sustaining decreased flow, but crystalloid did not restore flow to the baseline level in the kidney and all segments of the gastrointestinal tract.