C1-ESTERASE INHIBITOR REVERSES FUNCTIONAL CONSEQUENCES OF SUPERIOR MESENTERIC ARTERY ISCHEMIA/REPERFUSION BY LIMITING REPERFUSION INJURY AND RESTORING MICROCIRCULATORY PERFUSION

Activated complement contributes significantly to reperfusion injury after ischemia. This study explores functional consequences of C1-esterase inhibitor (C1-INH) treatment after superior mesenteric artery occlusion (SMAO)/ reperfusion using intravital microscopy. Thirty anesthetized, spontaneously breathing, male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent SMAO for 60 min followed by reperfusion (4 h). C1-esterase inhibitor (100 and 200 IU/kg body weight) or saline (0.9%) was given as a single bolus before reperfusion. Sham-operated animals (n = 10) without SMAO served as controls.Systemichemodynamicsweremonitoredcontinuously,arterial bloodgasesanalyzedintermittently, andleukocyte/ endothelial interacti…