Influence of severe hemodilution on brain function and brain oxidative metabolism in the cat

Objective It has been established that during constant presure arterio-venous bypass perfusion, brain metabolism gradually deteriorates in parallel with the declining hematocrit. However, whether this is due to a disturbance of flow regulation or to the decline in the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood has not been documented. Therefore, intact animals were submitted to severe hemodilution to determine the threshold for the beginning of functional and biochemical impairment of the brain.