J Trauma
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The effects of acute head injury or subarachnoid hemorrhage on the cardiovascular system (CVS) are well known, but data are lacking on the effects of acute spinal cord injury (SCI) on the CVS. The clip compression SCI rat model was used to measure changes in the mean systemic arterial pressure (mSAP), cardiac output (CO), heart rate (HR), total peripheral resistance (TPR), and central venous pressure (CVP) after SCI. Three groups of five animals each were anesthetized with chloralose-urethane: one group underwent only the surgical procedures including laminectomy, and the other two received either a 2.3- or 53.0-gm injury at the T1 spinal cord segment for 1 minute. ⋯ Thus the CVS showed two major alterations after severe SCI: post-traumatic hypotension, and a parallel decline in CO. There were no major changes in TPR, HR, or CVP, although HR ultimately declined. These findings suggest that the decline in CO was not entirely due to decreased sympathetic tone, but may also have resulted from direct myocardial injury, similar to that demonstrated after head injury or subarachnoid hemorrhage.
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FTCH is a recently developed material which consists of a collagen fleece containing fibrinogen, thrombin, and aprotinin integrated into its surface. FTCH is highly effective in sealing of tissues and in establishing hemostasis. We evaluated FTCH in experimentally produced liver (n = 6) and splenic (n = 12) injuries in 18 adult mongrel dogs. ⋯ We conclude the following: FTCH provides adequate hemostatic control of experimental liver and splenic injuries. FTCH has excellent tissue compatibility and can be applied easily and safely to hemorrhaging parenchymal wounds. It will not replace adequate surgical techniques, but could be useful as a quickly available and easily applicable hemostatic means in diffuse or acute bleeding of liver and spleen.