Elimination of endotoxin from the blood by extracorporeal activated charcoal hemoperfusion in experimental canine endotoxin shock.

Circulating endotoxin is an important factor in the pathogenesis and clinical symptoms of endotoxin shock. The effect of extracorporeal activated charcoal hemoperfusion was investigated in experimental endotoxin shock of dogs produced by i.v. injection of Escherichia coli 089 endotoxin (1 mg/kg body weight). The endotoxin was labeled with 99mTc. The aorta and vein cava caudalis of anesthetized dogs were cannulated through the arteria and vein femorales. The cannulae were contacted to the hemoperfusion charcoal cartridge. The efficiency of hemoperfusion was tested from the blood samples, and the endotoxin content of blood was measured biologically (in lead acetate-treated rats) and isotopically (99mTc radioactivity) at 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min after injection. It was demonstrated that extracorporeal activated charcoal hemoperfusion can eliminate the majority of circulating endotoxin from the blood within 30 min.