Muscle Electrolytes and Water Following Intra-Arterial Injection of Thiopental Sodium

Abstract

In rabbits a soln. of thiopental-Na was introduced into the femoral artery through a catheter passed under a tourniquet in such a way that a high tissue concn. of the drug was maintained for about 1 hr. Muscle water, electrolytes and glycogen were determined in the gastrocnemius of the injd. and contralateral legs after 1 and 17 days. Such injn. of thiopental resulted in an increase in muscle Na, Cl and H2,O and loss of muscle K. Muscle glycogen also decreased. The muscle Na space was frequently larger than the Cl space, indicating penetration of Na into cells following injury with thiopental. Calculation of the concn. of H2O per kg. intracellular phase, assuming an extracellular phase solid content of 10%, indicated that little change occurred after injury. Enlargement of the extracellular phase occurred by reason of edema and also at the expense of the intracellular phase. NaCN in one animal, produced similar changes. Na2CO3 was without effect.