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Systemic physiology and neuroapoptotic profiles in young and adult rats exposed to surgery: A randomized controlled study comprising four different anaesthetic techniques
Author(s) -
Ibrahim Rami Mossad,
Krammer Caspar Weel,
Hansen Tom Giedsing,
Kristensen Bjarne Winther,
Vutskits Laszlo,
Sørensen Jens Ahm
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
international journal of developmental neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.761
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1873-474X
pISSN - 0736-5748
DOI - 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2015.04.351
Subject(s) - dexmedetomidine , medicine , sevoflurane , propofol , anesthesia , fentanyl , hippocampus , sham surgery , sedation , pathology , alternative medicine
Background Experimental evidence indicates that general anaesthetics can induce apoptotic neurodegeneration in the developing brain. The majority of these studies have been performed in the absence of surgery and it currently remains unclear how the presence of surgical stimuli would influence neuroapoptosis as well as systemic homeostasis. Here we explored this possibility by performing dorsal skin flap surgery in young and adult rats under four distinct currently used anaesthesia regimens. Methods Young (21‐days) and adult (2 months) male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomized to 150 min exposure to one of four anaesthetics regimens: (i) sevoflurane/dexmedetomidine, (ii) sevoflurane/fentanyl; (iii) propofol/dexmedetomidine, and (iv) propofol/fentanyl. Animals underwent a dorsal skin flap procedure while physiologic, metabolic and biochemical parameters were closely monitored. Neuroapoptotic profiles were evaluated in the cortex, thalamus and hippocampus (CA1 and CA3) at the end of the procedure in each experimental group. Results Significant perturbations of systemic homeostasis were found under all anaesthetic regimens. Hyperglycemia and decreased heart rate were particularly relevant in experimental groups receiving dexmedetomidine, while propofol administration was associated with increased systemic lactate levels and metabolic acidosis. A substantial difference in anaesthesia/surgery‐induced neuroapoptosis was found between young and adult rats in several brain regions. Combination of sevoflurane and dexmedetomidine resulted in the highest number of caspase‐3 positive cells, although the extent of cell death remained relatively low in all experimental groups. Conclusion Combination of anaesthesia and surgery induces significant perturbations of physiological parameters in both young and adult spontaneously breathing rats undergoing surgery. These observations further enlighten the need for detailed physiological monitoring under these experimental conditions. Although some statistically significant differences in activated caspase‐3 profiles were detected between experimental groups, the overall extent of neuronal cell death remained very low under all conditions questioning, thereby, the physiological significance of apoptotic neurodegeneration in the context of anaesthesia and surgery.