Irrigating solutions for small blood vessel surgery--a histologic comparison.

Rat femoral vessels were clamped and perfused internally in situ for 30 minutes using five different irrigating solutions (normal saline, lactated Ringer's solution, Normosol R, pH 6.2 and 7.4, and glutathione buffered Ringer's solution). After the blood flow was reestablished, the vessels were excised at 30 minutes or 48 hours after irrigation and were sectioned longitudinally for light microscopy. Normal saline consistently produced the most severe damage. None of the agents tested proved biochemically atraumatic, and none were consistently superior to lactated Ringer's solution. Endothelial hyperplasia and platelet deposition were unexpectedly frequent findings at 48 hours.