Occlusion of superior mesenteric artery and effect of corticosteroid in dogs.

In twenty dogs the effects of superior mesenteric artery occlusion (SMAO) for two hours on several conditions likely to be responsible for the lethality of animals or men following release of SMAO were evaluated with and without corticosteroid administration. Six of ten dogs without steroid treatment died from irreversible shock within 24 hours. However, ten steroid treated dogs maintained an adequate blood pressure and survived until sacrifice 24 hours after SMAO. Release of lysosomal hydrolases, metabolic acidosis, hyperkalemia or plasma loss seemed not to have exerted important effects on the fate of animals, because their differences between the groups were not significant. Hence the mechanism underlying the beneficial effects of corticosteroid administered should be sought elsewhere.