Effect of splenectomy on mortality and brain water content of rats with brain injury / 中华创伤杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the effect of splenectomy on mortality and brain water content of rats with brain injury so as to explore novel way for better clinical management of patients with severe traumatic brain injury. Methods Adult male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups, ie, sham operation on brain and spleen (Group A, n = 23), experimental brain trauma & sham operation on spleen (Group B, n =48) and experimental brain injury & splenectomy (Group C, n = 47). Modified Feeney' s method was used to create the animal model of experimental brain trauma, Longa' s scale was applied to evaluate the neurologic defect. Mortality within seven days following brain injury was calculat-ed. In the meantime, the brain water content was detected at days 1 (n = 8), 2 (n = 8), 3 (n = 8) and 7 (n = 7) after brain injury in each group, Results No statistical difference of Longs' s scale was found between Group B and Group C (P > 0.05). The mortalities within seven days after brain injury were 0%, 35.42 and 14.89% in Groups A, B and C respectively, with statistical difference between groups (P<0.05). The brain water content of Groups B and C at days 1, 2, 3 and 7 were (81.98±0.35)% & (81.78±0.41)%, (82.58±0.63)% & (81.81±0.48)% (P<0.05),(82.54±0.54)% & (81.52±0.84)% (P<0.05) and (81.50±0.41)% & (81.21±0.36)% (P>0.05) respectively. Conclusion Splenectomy can effectively reduce brain water content and significantly decrease mortality in rata with brain injury.