Assessment of splanchnic circulation : which relevance ?

Shock is characterised by severe hemodynamic alte- rations leading to tissue hypoperfusion and, sometimes, tissue hypoxia. Once global hemodynamic alterations are corrected, alterations in regional blood flow and met- abolism may persist, especially in sepsis, participating in the development and the maintenance of multiple organ failure. Although a direct cytotoxicity of nitric oxide or cytokines can be evoked, several arguments suggest that the maintenance of an adequate balance between oxygen supply and demand in the splanchnic area may be useful.