Composition of isolated edema fluid in cold-induced brain edema.

Edema fluid isolated from cats with cold-induced brain edema was subjected to analysis of electrolyte content, enzyme activities, colloid osmotic pressure and the radioactivity of intravenously injected 99mTc-labeled albumin. The findings corroborate the essential features of vasogenic edema, such as its origin from the blood plasma, its rapid propagation into the white matter of the brain as contrasted with the delayed spread into gray matter, and its contribution to composition of cerebrospinal fluid. Moreover, the elevated activities of cellular enzymes and K+ content of edema fluid point to the admixture with cellular contents due to the freezing damage.