Effects of controlled hypoxemia or hypovolemia on global and intestinal oxygenation and perfusion in isoflurane anesthetized horses receiving an alpha-2-agonist infusion.
BACKGROUND
Aim of this prospective experimental study was to assess effects of systemic hypoxemia and hypovolemia on global and gastrointestinal oxygenation and perfusion in anesthetized horses. Therefore, we anesthetized twelve systemically healthy warmblood horses using either xylazine or dexmedetomidine for premedication and midazolam and ketamine for induction. Anesthesia was maintained using isoflurane in oxygen with either xylazine or dexmedetomidine and horses were ventilated to normocapnia. During part A arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) was reduced by reducing inspiratory oxygen fraction in steps of 5%. In part B hypovolemia was induced by controlled arterial exsanguination via roller pump (rate: 38 ml/kg/h). Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), heart rate, pulmonary artery pressure, arterial and central venous blood gases and cardiac output were measured, cardiac index (CI) was calculated. Intestinal microperfusion and oxygenation were measured using laser Doppler flowmetry and white-light spectrophotometry. Surface probes were placed via median laparotomy on the stomach, jejunum and colon.


RESULTS
Part A: Reduction in arterial oxygenation resulted in a sigmoid decrease in central venous oxygen partial pressure. At SaO2 < 80% no further decrease in central venous oxygen partial pressure occurred. Intestinal oxygenation remained unchanged until SaO2 of 80% and then decreased. Heart rate and pulmonary artery pressure increased significantly during hypoxemia. Part B: Progressive reduction in circulating blood volume resulted in a linear decrease in MAP and CI. Intestinal perfusion was preserved until blood loss resulted in MAP and CI lower 51 ± 5 mmHg and 40 ± 3 mL/kg/min, respectively, and then decreased rapidly.


CONCLUSIONS
Under isoflurane, intestinal tissue oxygenation remained at baseline when arterial oxygenation exceeded 80% and intestinal perfusion remained at baseline when MAP exceeded 51 mmHg and CI exceeded 40 mL/kg/min in this group of horses.


TRIAL REGISTRY NUMBER
33.14-42,502-04-14/1547.
['Hopster|Klaus|K|http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0329-3083', 'Wittenberg-Voges|Liza|L|', 'Geburek|Florian|F|', 'Hopster-Iversen|Charlotte|C|', 'Kästner|Sabine B R|SBR|']
D000769:Anesthesia, Inhalation D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation D000818:Animals D020927:Dexmedetomidine D005260:Female D006339:Heart Rate D006736:Horses D020896:Hypovolemia D000860:Hypoxia D007413:Intestinal Mucosa D007422:Intestines D007530:Isoflurane D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry D008297:Male D010100:Oxygen D011446:Prospective Studies D013053:Spectrophotometry D014991:Xylazine
Hypoxemia Hypovolemia Microperfusion Laser Doppler flowmetry Gastrointestinal tract