Infusion thrombophlebitis is a common complication of i.v. infusions. Many factors appear to be involved in its aetiology, of which the duration of infusion, the drugs infused and the solution(s) infused are the most important. Effective prophylaxis should be based on an understanding of the possible pathophysiology.

Thirty-seven types of catheters made from plastics including silicone rubber, polyvinylchloride, polyethylene, and polyurethane were tested for thrombogenesis in the cephalic vein of sheep. The range in the mass of thrombus on the catheters at autopsy 9 days after insertion was 20-fold. There was considerable variation when catheters made from the same types of plastic were compared, but polyethylene catheters tended to be more thrombogenic than other types. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a variety of surfaces ranging from very smooth to very rough. Roughness was frequently associated with the presence of radioopaque particles which in several catheters were concentrated into radio-opaque tracer strips. Within types of plastics, catheters with rougher surfaces were usually more thrombogenic than those with smooth surfaces.

In 5 cows, the mean length of the large intestine was only slightly greater than that of 21 sheep and 3 pigs. At about one-fifth of the way along the large intestine of the sheep and cows, corresponding to the end of the proximal colon and start of the spiral colon, there were marked reductions in the amount of digesta present and in the lumen diameter. In pigs these parameters decreased gradually along the large intestine.In all parts of the large intestine, the cows had more water in the digesta than did the sheep or the pigs. Nevertheless, the decrease in water content between the caecum and the rectum was similar for the cows and the sheep but less in the pigs. The rate of passage of digesta increased gradually along the large intestine of the pigs, but in the cows and sheep the rate was least in the caecum and proximal colon and greatest in the spiral colon. The total retention time for digesta in the large intestine was approximately 30, 20, and 9 h in the pigs, sheep, and cows respectively. The rate of water absorption from the large intestine was most rapid in the cows and slowest in the pigs. Differences in faecal water content between the species were not due to differences in retention times in the large intestine.

Tubings extruded from one batch of polyvinylchloride resin at five temperatures ranging from 110 to 205 degrees C were tested for thrombogenicity in the saphenous vein and aorta of sheep. There was more thrombus in both the vein and aorta on tubings extruded at lower temperatures. The surface areas of renal infarction were smaller when lower temperature tubings were inserted into the aorta. Scanning electron microscopy showed that lower extrusion temperatures caused greater roughness on the tubings. This greater roughness was confirmed by roughness measurements. It is suggested that the association which has been demonstrated between roughness and thrombus formation might be due to the degree of adhesion of the thrombus to the surface rather than to differences in thrombogenicity.

1. The deamination, ureolytic and proteolytic activities and rates of cellulolysis and gas production in large intestinal contents have been compared with those activities and rates in rumen contents of sheep.2. Large intestinal contents produced ammonia. The rate of ammonia production was greater in caecal contents than in faeces. Incubation of caecal contents under toluene resulted in decreased production of ammonia and volatile fatty acids and an increase in the concentration of αamino nitrogen.3. Proteolytic activity of large intestinal contents was much greater than that of rumen contents. There was little difference in proteolytic activity between caecal or faecal contents and their liquors whereas the activity in rumen whole contents was greater than in rumen liquor. Some proteolytic activity was present in caecal and faecal cell-free liquors but none was present in rumen cell-free liquor.4. Deaminase activity was greater in rumen than in caecal contents or faeces. The activity in rumen liquor was less than half that in rumen whole contents.5. Urease activity of caecal contents was less than that of faeces or of rumen contents.6. The rate of gas production in rumen contents was less than that in caecal contents. The rate in faeces was low. Less gas was produced in rumen liquor than in rumen contents, whereas there was little difference between rates in caecal liquor and whole contents.7. Rates of breakdown of cellulose in vivo were similar in the rumen and the caecum.