Inhaling nitrous oxide or xenon does not influence bowel wall energy balance during porcine bowel obstruction.
Xenon (Xe) is less soluble than nitrous oxide (N(2)O) and hence may be more suitable during bowel obstruction. Therefore, we compared the intestinal mechanical and biochemical effects of these two gases with those of total IV anesthesia in a porcine model of small-bowel obstruction. Intestinal obstruction was induced in 33 anesthetized pigs, in 18 of which segmental ileal perfusion was reduced by partial arterial occlusion. Pigs received total IV anesthesia, Xe, or N(2)O (in 30% oxygen) for 4 h, and we determined the intraluminal pressure and volume, the arterial-ileal PCO(2) gap, and the lactate and pyruvate levels in the segmental mesenteric vein. Under both experimental conditions, Xe or N(2)O ventilation caused the volume to significantly increase with a concomitant significant increase in the intraluminal pressure during N(2)O ventilation. Regardless of the anesthesia technique, none of the biochemical variables was influenced in the animals with maintained ileal blood supply. In contrast, reducing the segmental perfusion induced pronounced alterations of all variables of bowel wall energy metabolism. The type of anesthesia, however, had no further statistically significant effect. Short-term inhalation of Xe or N(2)O seems to have no deleterious effects on the metabolic balance of the gut wall during intestinal obstruction.


CONCLUSIONS
In anesthetized pigs, short-term inhalation of xenon or nitrous oxide over 4 h when compared with total IV anesthesia had no additional deleterious effects on the metabolic balance of the gut wall during intestinal obstruction, no matter whether the arterial blood flow was reduced or not.
Pittner
Antje
A
Sektion Anästhesiologie Pathophysiologie und Verfahrensentwicklung, Universitätsklinik für Anästhesiologie, Chirurgische Universitätsklinik Ulm, Parkstrasse 11, 89073 Ulm, Germany.
Nalos
Marek
M
Theisen
Marc
M
Ploner
Franz
F
Brückner
Uwe B
UB
Georgieff
Michael
M
Radermacher
Peter
P
Fröba
Gebhard
G
D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002496:Central Venous Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007422:Intestines / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009609:Nitrous Oxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange / Q000187:drug effects; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D013552:Swine; D014978:Xenon / Q000494:pharmacology*
D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D014978:Xenon; D009609:Nitrous Oxide