Effects of Taohong Siwu Decoction on coagulation function and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway after femoral artery anastomosis in rabbits

Objective:To observe the effect of Taohong Siyu Decoction on the coagulation function and the signaling pathway of PI3K(phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase)/AKT(protein kinase B)/mTOR(mammalian target of rapamycin)after femoral artery anastomosis in rabbits.Methods:30 New Zealand white rabbits were divided into blank control group,model control group,papavine hydrochloride injection group and low,medium and high dose groups of Taohong Siwu decoction by random number table method,with 5 rabbits in each group.The rabbits in the model control group,papavine hydrochloride injection group and low,medium and high dose groups of Taohong Siwu decoction were treated with the femoral artery simple intermittent end-to-end suture model.After the successful modeling,the low,medium and high dose groups of Taohong Siwu decoction were given the Taohong Siwu decoction,while the model control group,the blank control group and papavine hydrochloride injection group were given the same amount of normal saline.APTT(activated partial thromboplastin time),FIB(fibrinogen)and PI3K/AKT/mTOR concentrations were measured in aural venous blood samples from six groups of rabbits 30min before operation and 1d,2D,3D and 7d after operation,respectively.Statistical analysis was conducted on the data of the six groups.Results:Compared with blank control group,APTT of model control group was significantly shortened 1d to 7d after operation(P<0.05),FIB values were significantly increased from 1d to 7d after operation(P<0.05);Compared with model control group,APTT in Taohong Siwu decoction low-dose,medium-dose and high-dose groups were significantly prolonged 1d to 7d after operation(P<0.05),FIB value of Taohong Siwu decoction medium and high dose groups decreased significantly from 1d to 7d after operation(P<0.05),the FIB value of Taohong Siwu decoction low-dose group was significantly decreased from 2d to 7d after surgery(P<0.05);Compared with papaverine hydrochloride injection group,APTT in Taohong Siwu decoction medium dose group was significantly prolonged 2d to 7d after surgery(P<0.05),APTT of Taohong Siwu decoction high-dose group was significantly prolonged on 1d to 7d after operation(P<0.05).FIB in Taohong Siwu decoction medium and high dose groups decreased significantly 1d to 7d after operation(P<0.05);Compared with the blank control group,the expression concentrations of PI3K,Akt and mTOR in serum of the model control group were significantly increased from 1d to 7d after surgery(P<0.05);Compared with the model control group,the expression levels of PI3K,Akt and mTOR in serum were significantly increased in the low dose group of Taohong Siwu decoction and Papaverine Hydrochloride Injection group on postoperative 7 days(P<0.05),Taohong Siwu decoction high-dose group was significantly increased from 1d to 7d after surgery(P<0.05),the expression concentrations of PI3K and Akt in Taohong Siwu decoction medium dose group were significantly increased from 2d to 7d after operation(P<0.05),mTOR expression levels were significantly increased from 3d to 7d after operation(P<0.05);Compared with papaverine hydrochloride injection group,the expression concentrations of PI3K,Akt and mTOR in serum of Taohong Siwu decoction medium dose group were significantly increased from 3d to 7d after operation(P<0.05),the expression concentrations of PI3K and mTOR in Taohong Siwu decoction high-dose group were significantly increased from 1d to 7d after operation(P<0.05),and the expression concentration of Akt increased significantly from 3d to 7d after operation(P<0.05).Conclusion:The Taohong Siwu decoction can improve the coagulation function of rabbit femoral artery anastomosis,prevent thrombosis,activate PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway,promote angiogenesis,and improve tissue ischemia after artery anastomosis.

Comparison of alternative arterial anastomosis site during liver transplantation when the recipient’s hepatic artery is unusable

Background:Few studies have analyzed outcomes of liver transplantation(LT)when the recipient hepatic artery(HA)was not usable.Methods:We retrospectively evaluated the outcomes of LT performed using the different alternative sites to HA.Results:Between 2002 and 2017,1,677 LT were performed in our institution among which 141(8.4%)with unusable recipient HA were analyzed.Four groups were defined according to the site of anastomosis:the splenic artery(SA group,n=26),coeliac trunk(CT group,n=12),aorta using or not the donor’s vessel(Ao group,n=91)and aorta using a vascular prosthesis(Ao-P group,n=12)as conduit.The median number of intraoperative red blood cell transfusions was significantly increased in the Ao and Ao-P groups(5,5,8.5 and 16 for SA,CT,Ao and Ao-P group respectively,P=0.002),as well as fresh frozen plasma(4.5,2.5,10,17 for the SA,CT,Ao and Ao-P groups respectively,P=0.001).Hospitalization duration was also significantly increased in the Ao and Ao-P groups(15,16,24,26.5 days for the SA,CT,Ao and Ao-P groups respectively,P<0.001).The occurrence of early allograft dysfunction(EAD)(P=0.07)or arterial complications(P=0.26)was not statistically different.Level of factor V,INR,bilirubin and creatinine during the 7th postoperative days(POD)was significantly improved in the SA group.No difference was observed regarding graft(P=0.18)and patient(P=0.16)survival.Conclusions:In case of unusable HA,intraoperative and postoperative outcomes are improved when using the SA or CT compared to aorta.

Effect of swirling flow on platelet concentration distribution in small-caliber artificial grafts and end-to-end anastomoses

Platelet concentration near the blood vessel wall is one of the major factors in the adhesion of platelets to the wall.In our previous studies,it was found that swirling flows could suppress platelet adhesion in small-caliber artificial grafts and end-to-end anastomoses.In order to better understand the beneficial effect of the swirling flow,we numerically analyzed the near-wall concentration distribution of platelets in a straight tube and a sudden tubular expansion tube under both swirling flow and normal flow conditions.The numerical models were created based on our previous experimental studies.The simulation results revealed that when compared with the normal flow,the swirling flow could significantly reduce the near-wall concentration of platelets in both the straight tube and the expansion tube.The present numerical study therefore indicates that the reduction in platelet adhesion under swirling flow conditions in small-caliber arterial grafts,or in end-to-end anastomoses as observed in our previous experimental study,was possibly through a mechanism of platelet transport,in which the swirling flow reduced the near-wall concentration of platelets.