Dynamic peripheral nerve metabolic and vascular responses to exsanguination

We studied the dynamic effects of exsanguination of approximately one-third of rat blood volume over 3-12 min on energy metabolism and blood flow in rat sciatic nerves. Nerve high-energy phosphate compounds were relatively well maintained. There was a modest stimulation of anaerobic metabolism at slow rates of exsanguination, and glucose stores were slightly increased. These findings indicate that when stressed because of significant blood loss, compensatory mechanisms, presumably adrenosympathetic mediated, are effective in vivo. We recorded nerve blood flow (NBF), endoneurial oxygen tension, and mean arterial pressure simultaneously; NBF was linearly related to blood pressure (BP) over a wide range of BPs, confirming that NBF does not significantly autoregulate. Endoneurium underwent oxygen exchange, indicating that peripheral nerve microvasculature is physiologically nutritive, NBF fell before and at a faster rate than BP, indicating that it is a capacitive system. Nerves also adapted to declining oxygen supplies, presumably by reducing their oxygen consumption. The physiological implications of such a system are discussed.