Hemolysis is not uncommon during cardiovascular surgery, resulting in elevated circulating levels of cell-free oxyhemoglobin (FHb). The effect of hemolysis on intestinal microcirculation and gut wall integrity is unclear.
A research article to be published on January 14, 2011 in the World Journal of Gastroenterology addresses this question. An animal model was developed with FHb plasma levels similar to those found during cardiovascular surgery. The influence of circulating FHb on intestinal microcirculation was studied using fluorescent microspheres and intestinal injury was evaluated both biochemically and histopathologically.
This is the first study to show a decreased intestinal microcirculatory blood flow during elevated levels of circulating FHb, resulting in intestinal damage. Moreover, a strong correlation between elevated circulating FHb and intestinal injury is revealed.
Therefore, circulating FHb levels should be closely monitored in clinical practice when treating these patients, who are at risk of developing gastrointestinal complications.
Reference: Hanssen SJ, Lubbers T, Hodin CM, Prinzen FW, Buurman WA, Jacobs MJ. Hemolysis results in impaired intestinal microcirculation and intestinal epithelial cell injury. World J Gastroenterol 2011; 17(2): 213-218
http://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/full/v17/i2/213.htm
Correspondence to: Dr. Wim A Buurman, Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. [email protected]
Telephone: +31-43-3881499 Fax: +31-43-3884154
About World Journal of Gastroenterology
World Journal of Gastroenterology (WJG), a leading international journal in gastroenterology and hepatology, has established a reputation for publishing first class research on esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, liver cancer, viral hepatitis, colorectal cancer, and H pylori infection and provides a forum for both clinicians and scientists. WJG has been indexed and abstracted in Current Contents/Clinical Medicine, Science Citation Index Expanded (also known as SciSearch) and Journal Citation Reports/Science Edition, Index Medicus, MEDLINE and PubMed, Chemical Abstracts, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, Abstracts Journals, Nature Clinical Practice Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CAB Abstracts and Global Health. ISI JCR 2009 IF: 2.092. WJG is a weekly journal published by WJG Press. The publication dates are the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th day of every month. WJG is supported by The National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30224801 and No. 30424812, and was founded with the name of China National Journal of New Gastroenterology on October 1, 1995, and renamed WJG on January 25, 1998.
