RESUMO
The early functional changes of the heart after radiation, burn or combined radiation-burn injury were studied with an isolated working heart preparation of rats. The animals were randomized into the control group (C), the burn injury group (B) inflicted with 30% TB-SA full thickness burns from a 5 kw bromine-tungsten lamp, the radiation injury group (R) inflicted with total body irradiation of 6 Gy from a "Co source and the combined radiation-burn injury group (RB) receiving both of the injuries. No treatment was administered after injury. Left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP). maximum of LV pressure development ( ? dp/ dtmax), heart rate (HR), cardiac output (CO), coronary flow (CF), aortic pressure (A.P) and ratio of dry/wet myocardial weight (Rw) of the perfused isolated heart were determined in the 1st, 3rd, 8th, 16th and 24th hour after injury. It was found that LVSP, ?dp/dtmax, CO and AP were decreased in RB especially in the 8th hour after injury ( P