title: Reliability of pressure cuff induced transient limb ischemia in conscious rabbits.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The protective effects of transient limb ischemia (TLI) induced by several cycles of intermittent pressure cuff inflation and deflation for a period have been widely investigated, however the reliability of this protocol has not been clearly verified. Our study aimed to investigate the reliability of pressure cuff induced TLI in conscious rabbits.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight New Zealand rabbits were subjected to TLI without anesthesia. TLI consisted of 3 cycles of ischemia and reperfusion induced by inflating the cuff placed on the left lower limb to 200 mmHg for 5 minutes followed by deflating the cuff for 5 minutes. Skin color, pulse oxygen saturation (SpO2), pulse rate (PR), plethysmogram waveform (Pleth), and ultrasound detection of the blood flow in the extremity distal to the ischemic segment were observed to confirm ischemia and reperfusion during TLI. The frequency of severe limb movement during TLI was also recorded to assess the amenability of this protocol in conscious rabbits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The skin color of the extremity distal to the ischemic segment changed from bright red to dark purple after inflating the cuff to 200 mmHg, and returned to normal after cuff deflation. Pleth, PR and SpO2 disappeared during ischemia and restored during reperfusion in the monitor. Blood flow of the left posterior tibial artery was completely blocked by a pressure of 200 mmHg during ischemia, and recovered immediately after cuff deflation. The frequency of severe limb movement in supine position was higher than that in prone position (P < 0.05), but there was no severe limb movement that could result in disturbance to ischemia when the rabbits were placed in prone position.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pressure cuff inflating to 200 mmHg for 5 minutes and deflating for 5 minutes is a reliable regimen to induce TLI in conscious rabbits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, China.
authors.forename: Nanrong
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, China.
authors.forename: Wanjun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, China.
authors.forename: Qiongyu
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, China. Email: sanqingjin@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Sanqing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005121:Extremities / Q000473:pathology*; D007511:Ischemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D019194:Ischemic Preconditioning; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits