Effect of sodium pentobarbital anaesthesia on platelet behavior in vitro and in vivo

Abstract

Biolaser induced endothelial injury combined with rabbit ear chamber techniques offers a simple and precise method of measuring platelet reactivity in vivo in conscious animals. By using this method a consistent and significant depression in the number of platelet microemboli from sites of fresh endothelial injury was found during sodium pentobarbital anaesthesia (30 mg/kg). There was no consistent barbiturate induced alteration in microcirculatory blood flow, nor could the in vivo effect be related to changes in platelet count or acid base status. However, adenosine diphosphate (ADP) induced platelet aggregation in citrated rabbit platelet rich plasma (PRP) was significantly depressed during pentobarbital anaesthesia. Observations on platelet function, in vitro or in vivo, on animals subjected to barbiturate anaesthesia must therefore be interpreted with caution.