title: Disruption of splenic circulation using microbubble-enhanced ultrasound and prothrombin: a preliminary study.
abstract: The spleen is a solid organ in which splenomegaly frequently develops and to which abdominal blunt trauma occurs. In this study, we demonstrated the potential therapeutic effect of microbubble-enhanced ultrasound (MEUS) combined with prothrombin to disrupt splenic circulation. A high-pressure-amplitude therapeutic ultrasound (TUS) device was used to treat 36 surgically exposed spleens in healthy New Zealand rabbits. Eighteen spleens were treated with either MEUS (n = 9) or MEUS combined with prothrombin (n = 9). The other 18 spleens were treated with TUS only or sham ultrasound exposure and served as the controls. The TUS was operated at a frequency of 831 kHz and a peak negative pressure of 4.8 MPa. Prothrombin was administered intravenously at 20 IU/kg. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and acoustic quantification were performed to assess splenic blood perfusion. We found significant blood perfusion slowdown and drop-off in the MEUS-treated spleens. The peak intensity dropped from 20.2 ± 2.70 dB to 11.6 ± 4.58 dB immediately after treatment. The spleens treated with the combination of MEUS and prothrombin showed consistently poor perfusion within 1 h. In histologic examination of the MEUS-treated spleens, we found significant dilatation of splenic sinuses, hemorrhage, interstitial edema and thrombosis. This study demonstrated that the vascular effects induced by microbubble-enhanced, high-pressure ultrasound can slow down or block blood perfusion in the rabbit spleen. Prothrombin helps to enhance and extend the effects for up to 1 h.
authors.affiliation: Department of Function, Guangzhou First Municipal People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical College, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jianhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Shuyi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Shengzheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wencai
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.forename: Jingguang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Shunji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D057086:High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D045423:Microbubbles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011817:Rabbits; D011836:Radiation Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects*; D013157:Splenic Artery / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D011516:Prothrombin