title: Intraosseous infusion: pressure-flow relationship and pharmacokinetics.
abstract: In order to quantitatively investigate the usefulness of intraosseous fluid and drug administration as a resuscitative modality, we studied the infusion flow rates of crystalloid solutions obtainable at varying infusion pressures into the bovine tibial medullary cavity and time to initial as well as 90% of maximal effect of intraosseously administered vasoactive drugs. Mean infusion rates +/- SEM (n = 6) at 300, 200, and 100 torr and atmosphere + 81 cm H2O were 41 +/- 2, 32 +/- 1, 27 +/-2, and 10 +/- 1 ml/min, respectively. The mean time (+/- SEM) to initial effect of intraosseous injections (n = 6) of either 0.5 mg epinephrine or 50 mg ephedrine was 17 +/- 3 seconds and mean time to 90% of maximal effect was 45 +/- 5 seconds. These results provide a quantitative basis for resuscitation by fluid and drug administration via the tibial malleolar intraosseous route and suggest that when performed in appropriate situations, the technique may have clinical utility.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects*; D002417:Cattle; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D012151:Resuscitation
chemical_list: D004837:Epinephrine