Ketamine/xylazine anesthesia is safe in hemorheological point of view: a preliminary report

Abstract

Purpose: Some anesthetic drugs are known to have influence on circulation due to hemorheological effects.We aimed to investigate the possible effects of ketamin-xylazine anesthesia, which is extensively used inexperimental animal laboratories on hemorheological parameters.Materials and methods: Adult, male Wistar-Albino rats were divided into two as control (pre-anesthesia)and post-anesthesia (n=17). Ketamin-HCl/Xylazine-HCl (90 mg/kg-10 mg/kg) were injected intraperitoneally.Intracardiac heparinized blood was collected either without anesthesia (control group) or after anesthesia(post-anesthesia group) following the loss of reflexes such as righting, cornea and withdrawal. Erythrocytedeformability was determined by an ektacytometer, while WBV (at shear rates of 38, 76 and 190 s-1) and PV(at 190 s-1 shear rate) at standard (40%) and otolog hematocrit (Hct) were measured via a cone-plate rotationalviscometer.Results: Mean time taken for the disappearance of righting reflex was 4±3.6, corneal reflex 8±6.8 and forwithdrawal reflex 10±6.7 min. 90 mg/kg Ketamin-10 mg/kg Xylazine administration did not affect RBCdeformability, WBV and PV of the rats.Conclusion: These results demonstrate that, use of Ketamin/Xylazine anesthesia may be recommendedespecially when dealing with hemorheological, cardiovascular and hematological parameters.