Relationship of compression area, time and weight with crush injury/crush syndrome in rats / 中华创伤杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the relationship of compression area, time and weight as risky factors with local injury and systemic pathophysiological responses in rats so as to establish repeatable experimental model of crush syndrome. Methods A total of 144 male SD rats were divided into two groups, ie, mortality investigation group and biochemical indicator investigation group. Every group included the same 18 subgroups based on 18 kinds of combination with different levels of compression area (the right or both hind limbs), time (4, 6, 8 hours) and weight (2, 3, 4 kg). The circumference of the compressed hind limbs of all rats were measured and serum potassium (K+), serum creatine phosphokinase (CK), creatinine and carbamide were measured too before compression and three hours after decompression. Incidence of myoglobinuria of all rats was recorded. Muscles and kidneys were evaluated morphologically. Results The compressed hind limbs of all rats swelled significantly after three hours of reperfusion (P ＜ 0. 05). All serum K + , CK, CR and BUN were increased significantly with the increase and prolongation of the compression area, time and weight (P ＜ 0.05). Signs of direct cellular damage and ischemia-reperfusion injury were found in histology specimens of local compressed muscle.Hyperemia of glomeruli and renal tubule was found in the kidneys. Renal tubular necrosis and renal tubular cast were observed in group with compression weight ≥3 kg and compression duration ≥6 hours.Conclusions Increase and prolongation of the compression area, time and weight can aggravate the severity of crush injury. Compression area is more risky factor of severe crush injury. Both hind limbs ascompression area, compression weight ≥ 3 kg and compression duration ≥ 6 hours can be the effective experimental conditions for establishment of crush syndrome model in rats.