Objectives
To study dynamic distribution of microcirculatory blood flow in multiple splanchnic organs during septic shock; to test the hypothesis that changes in microcirculatory blood flow in splanchnic organs correlate with changes in regional flow during septic shock.
Design
A prospective, controlled, animal study.
Setting
Animal laboratory in a university medical center.
Subjects
Nine anesthetized and mechanically ventilated domestic pigs.
Interventions
Systemic flow (cardiac output) was measured with thermodilution and regional (superior mesenteric artery) flow with transit time flowmetry. Local blood flow (microcirculatory flow) was continuously measured in splanchnic organs (gastric, jejunal, and colon mucosa, liver, and pancreas) and the kidney with multichannel laser Doppler flowmetry. Septic shock was induced with fecal peritonitis. After 240 mins of sepsis, intravenous fluids were administered to alter hypodynamic shock to hyperdynamic septic shock.
Measurements and Main Results
In this severe septic shock model, systemic and regional flows decreased by ∼50% during the first 240 mins. Similar reductions were recorded in microcirculatory flow in the mucosa of the stomach (−41%;p < .001) and colon (−47%;p < .001). In the jejunal mucosa, on the other hand, flow remained virtually unchanged. Microcirculatory flow was also significantly decreased in the liver (−49%;p < .001), pancreas (−56%;p < .001), and kidney (−44%;p < .001). Administration of intravenous fluids at 240 mins was followed by three-fold increases in systemic and regional flows (∼70% above baseline). In the jejunal mucosa, flow also increased significantly above baseline (42%;p < .001), whereas in the stomach and the colon, it barely reached baseline. Kidney blood flow increased to baseline, whereas pancreas and liver flows remained 26% (p < .05) and 34% (p < .001), respectively, below baseline.
Conclusion
Changes in microcirculatory blood flow in the splanchnic organs are heterogeneous, both in early hypodynamic and in hyperdynamic septic shock, and cannot be predicted from changes in systemic or regional flows. Microcirculatory blood flow in the jejunal mucosa remains constant during early septic shock, whereas pancreatic blood flow decreases significantly more than regional flow.
