title: The effects of thoracic epidural anesthesia on hepatic perfusion and oxygenation in healthy pigs during general anesthesia and surgical stress.
abstract: Perioperative liver injury due to decreased perfusion may be an underlying mechanism behind the development of systemic inflammatory response syndrome. We designed this animal study to assess whether thoracic epidural anesthesia (TEA) impairs liver oxygenation due to induced hypotension. After ethical approval, 19 anesthetized and acutely instrumented pigs were randomly assigned to 3 groups (control and TEA alone versus TEA plus volume loading). Bupivacaine 0.5% 0.75 mL per segment was injected into the epidural space, aiming for a T5 to T12 block. After baseline values were obtained, measurements were repeated 60 and 120 min after epidural injection. TEA was associated with decreased mean arterial blood pressure but no change in total hepatic blood flow. Oxygen delivery to the liver and oxygen uptake remained unchanged. Liver tissue oxygen partial pressure did not decrease. The plasma indocyanine green disappearance rate remained stable. Volume loading before TEA did not relevantly affect total hepatic blood flow; it even decreased oxygen supply to the liver by hemodilution. We conclude that, despite decreased mean arterial blood pressure, TEA did not affect liver oxygenation. There was no clinically relevant effect of volume loading on total hepatic perfusion.
authors: *Anaesthesiologische Universitätsklinik Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany; †Klinik und Poliklinik für Anästhesiologie und Intensivtherapie, Universität Rostock, Rostock, Germany; ‡Institut für Experimentelle und Klinische Pharmakologie und Toxikologie der Universität Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany; and §Chirurgische Forschung, Chirurgische Universitätsklinik Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
authors: Dierk A
authors: DA
authors: Vagts
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Iber
authors: Marcus
authors: M
authors: Puccini
authors: Bela
authors: B
authors: Szabo
authors: Jörg
authors: J
authors: Haberstroh
authors: Florian
authors: F
authors: Villinger
authors: Klaus
authors: K
authors: Geiger
authors: Gabriele F E
authors: GFE
authors: Nöldge-Schomburg
mesh_terms: D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D000818:Animals; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000502:physiology; D002404:Catheterization; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000502:physiology; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D007813:Laparotomy; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008102:Liver Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000494:pharmacology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000502:physiology; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000502:physiology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013552:Swine; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D019344:Lactic Acid; D005996:Nitroglycerin; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine