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Background/Aim: Previous studies have demonstrated that sevoflurane protects liver from ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury however it was not shown yet if this protection is by preconditioning or if it depends on a continuous administration of the anesthetic during the whole I/R period. In the present study we evaluated the mechanism of the protective effect of sevoflurane in ischemia/reperfusion injury
Methods: Wistar male rats underwent partial liver ischemia performed by clamping the pedicle from medium and left anterior lateral segments. Liver pedicle clamp was removed after 1 hour of partial ischemia. Anesthesia was induced with cetamine and xylazine and rats were intubated and mechanical ventilated. Rats were divided in 3 groups: Group1-Sevo Continued (n=15): sevoflurane was administered during the whole I/R injury time and animals remained intubated during the whole I/R time, Group 2-Sevo 30 minutes (n=15): sevoflurane was administered during 30 minutes and discontinued before liver ischemia, and Group-3 Control (n=15): animals was submitted to I/R and no sevoflurane was administrated. Just as group 2, rats were extubated after reperfusion. Four hours after reperfusion blood was collected for determinations of AST, ALT. Liver tissues were assembled mitochondrial oxidation and phosphorylation and malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Pulmonary vascular permeability and myeloperoxidade (MPO) were also determined.
Results: Four hours after reperfusion Sevo Continued group presented elevation of AST and ALT serum levels significantly lower than Sevo 30 minutes and Control groups (p<0.05). A significant reduction on liver mitochondrial dysfunction and pulmonary vascular permeability was observed in Sevo Continued group compared to Sevo 30 minutes and Control groups (p<0.05). No differences in liver MDA and pulmonary MPO activity were observed
Conclusion: Sevoflurane attenuates liver ischemia/reperfusion injury probably by a mechanism not related to a by preconditioning effect.