Delayed dopamine treatment of segmental small intestinal ischaemia in the rat.

Two groups of rats were subjected to segmental ischaemia of the small intestine for 2 h. According to our previous findings such ischaemia causes impairment of the central circulation as well as of the splanchnic blood flow. Dopamine treatment was initiated 30 or 90 min after the establishment of ischaemia. In the 30-min group cardiac output increased and the blood flow was normalized in those parts of the small intestine where the arteries were not ligated (the non-occluded parts). This result corresponds well to our previous observations when dopamine treatment was started immediately after the establishment of ischaemia. In the 90-min group cardiac output was not affected. Again the intestinal blood flow was normalized in the non-occluded parts. In both groups the pancreatic circulation was impaired.