Objective: 

Administration of fluids to maintain or restore intravascular volume is a common intervention after hypovolemia. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the histo-physiological changes of resuscitation with Ringer lactate (RL) solutions on small intestine tissue, after acute hemorrhage in rats.

Methods: 

Wistar-Albino rats (n=12) were divided into three groups, each including 4 rats. First group was control; second group was assigned as hypovolemia. Then the third group was isovolemic resuscitated with RL. Haematocrit (Hct), mean artery pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were recorded for 120 minutes. For microscopic examination, tissue samples were fixed in 10% formalin and prepared using routine paraffin procedure. Sections were stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), anti-endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and anti-inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) primary antibodies were used for immunohistochemical examination. Immunoreactivities were scored as mild, moderate or severe, and results were evaluated comparatively using ANOVA statistical test.

Results: 

MAP and HR values were significantly reduced in hypovolemia. Hct results at 5 min were significantly decreased especially in RL compared to the hypovolemia group. While strong immunoreactivities of VEGF, eNOS and moderate immunoreactivities iNOS were observed in the hypovolemia group; mild/moderate and moderate immunoreactivities were seen in the control and the resuscitated groups, respectively.

Conclusions: 

Even in the acute period, histo-physiological changes were observed in the small intestine with hypovolemia. Ischemia and angiogenesis caused by hypovolemia were increased especially eNOS, and VEGF immunoreactivity in small intestine.