Blood volume redistribution from a passive elastic permeable microcirculation due to hypovolemia.

We measured the variations in blood and plasma density for a cyclic hemorrhage protocol in conscious rabbits to calculate delta Vf [the volume of fluid restituted into the circulation from the time the blood volume was at its control to that after the hemorrhage of a blood volume (delta V)] and delta Vs (the volume shift from micro- to macrocirculation over the same time interval). We found that delta Vf is 7% of delta V and delta Vs 60% of delta V. They combine to reduce the effect of hemorrhage on macrovascular volume by 67% of delta V. Based on a two-resistor circulation model, the change in microcirculatory pressure (delta Pmic) from control to hemorrhage was estimated from the measured cardiac outputs and arterial and venous pressures. The computations indicate that delta Vs (or delta Vf) is linearly related to delta Pmic. With one relation fitting all data of rabbits that were conscious, infused with hexamethonium, and anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium, we concluded that the two short-term volume redistributions are not direct neural control or local regulation, but the response of a passive, permeable microcirculation to delta Pmic. From the linear relations, we obtained 0.88 ml.mmHg-1.kg-1 as the compliance of the rabbit microcirculation and 0.21 ml.min-1.mmHg-1.kg-1 as its filtration coefficient.