The effect of plasma volume expansion on the utero-placental perfusion

Article type: Research Article

Authors: v. Tempelhoff, G.-F. | Heilmann, L.

Affiliations: Dept. Obstet. Gynec., City Hospital Ruesselsheim, Germany

Abstract: In a double - blind randomized study 12 pregnant patients with hemoconcentration (average hemoglobin higher than 13 g/dl during the second trimester, initial hematocrit above 38%) and a fetal aortal resistance-index higher than 0.75 received either 500 ml hydroxyethylstarch (HES) or 500 ml 0.9% NaCl. Additionally all women received 500 ml 0.9% NaCl. Resistance Indices from waveforms in both the fetal aorta and the uterine arteries showed a reduction during HES - hemodilution while treatment with NaCl achieved no corresponding effect. One possible explanation may be the red cell aggregation-inhibition and plasma viscosity - reduction of hydroxyethylstarch.

Keywords: Hemodilution, Hydroxyethylstarch, Doppler-Ultrasound, Resistance Indices

DOI: 10.3233/CH-1993-13603

Journal: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 13, no. 6, pp. 729-736, 1993