The extracorporeal joining of donor (pig) spleen (EJDS) for the treatment of patients with the complications of shockogenic trauma.

Introduction: A principal cause of death following presumed recovery from an episode of shock is the development of shockogenic trauma [post-resuscitation syndrome]. The causes of this complication remain unclear and its various treatments continue to be controversial. Hypothesis: The use of perfusion of the blood of patients suffering shockogenic trauma through a donor pig spleen mill decrease the mortality from the complications of this process. Methods: Freshly harvested pig spleens were adjoined to the venous circulation of patients suffering severe shockogenic trauma and the patient's blood perfused through them for periods of 30-60 minutes. The mortality rates of similar patients treated in this manner were compared with those not treated. Blood analyses included measures of the functions of the renal, immune, and coagulation systems. Results: The experience with 212 Extracorporeal Joinings of Donor (pig) Spleens (EJDS) by means of a veno-venous shunt for the treatment of 86 patients with severe shock trauma and its complications is reported. The clinical effects consisted of decreasing signs of intoxication, namely reduction in fever and in the severity of associated encephalopathy. Extracoporeal joinings on donor (pig) spleens (EJDS) was followed by a decline in the concentration of “middle molecules,” fibrinogen levels, leucocyte intoxication index, and the number of circulating immune complexes at different times following complexion of the procedure. The number of blood cells remained constant. On the following day, there occurred an increase in the number of thrombocytes. In addition, there was a decline in the quantity of circulating particles in the plasma. The level of plasma creatinine remained constant. Conclusions: Extracoporeal circulation through donor (pig) spleens (EJDS) has an important influence on that part of the immune system that performs the functions of phagocytosis, and also increases the levels of chemokinetic and chemotaxc reactions.