Hemorrhagic shock in the monkey

Abstract

African green monkeys were subjected to varying degrees and durations of hemorrhagic hypotension (arterial reservoir technique) and the shed blood returned. Seven monkeys bled to a mean arterial blood pressure of 50 mm Hg for 5.0 or 6.5 hr, 40 mm Hg for 5.5 hr, or 35 mm Hg for 4.5, 5.0, 5.5, or 6.0 hr survived. Of five monkeys bled to 35 mm Hg for 7.0 hr, three survived and two died. Two monkeys bled for 8 or 9 hr against 35 mm Hg died. Deaths occurred 6–24 hr postreinfusion. Maximum bleeding volumes (MBV) averaged 3.7% of body weight. During hypotension, self-transfusion volumes ranged from 1% to 34% of the MBV, rectal temperature declined 4.9 C, and plasma lactic dehydrogenase activity increased markedly. The intestinal pathology of the nonsurviving monkeys, which is minimal, contrasts sharply with that of dogs that die of hemorrhagic shock. These monkeys give evidence of a greater tolerance for hemorrhagic hypotension than the commonly studied mammalian nonprimate, but they too become unresponsive to transfusion if hypotension is sufficiently severe and prolonged.