East African medical journal
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The aim of this study was to investigate the resuscitative effects of various intravenous solutions on intestinal mucosal damage and bacterial translocation due to haemorrhagic shock. Seventy Sprague-Dawley rats were anaesthetised and subjected to thirty minutes of haemorrhagic shock (systolic blood pressure 40 mmHg). Resuscitation was established with either autologous-blood, three per cent hypertonic saline (HS), 7.5% HS, 0.9% NaCl and Ringer's lactate and Dextran 70 solution. ⋯ A statistically significant difference was observed between the groups resuscitated with HS solution and the other solutions. No meaningful difference was noted between the various concentrations of hypertonic saline solution. The reduction in the rate bacterial translocation with hypertonic solution is assumed to be due to preservation of intestinal microcirculation and thus prevention of intestinal ischaemia.