J Vet Sci.  2016 Jun;17(2):189-197. 10.4142/jvs.2016.17.2.189.

Effects of induced endometritis on uterine blood flow in cows as evaluated by transrectal Doppler sonography

• Debertolis L
• Mari G
• Merlo B
• Merbach S
• Schoon HA
• Iacono E
• Bollwein H

• KMID: 2413168
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2016.17.2.189

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of induced endometritis on uterine blood flow in cows. Transrectal Doppler sonography was performed on uterine arteries of six cyclic cows before and for 4 days after inducing acute endometritis by intrauterine infusion of 720 mg of policresulen, and for 4 days of the following estrous cycle. Time-averaged maximum velocity (TAMV) increased (p < 0.001) and pulsatility index (PI) decreased (p < 0.0001) within 1 h of policresulen administration, and did not change (p > 0.05) in the next 4 days of the same cycle. TAMV and PI values in the subsequent cycle did not differ (p > 0.05) from the values measured before infusion and showed no changes (p > 0.05) within the cycle. Blood flow parameters were not related (p > 0.05) to plasma concentrations of progesterone and estrogen. All cows showed an acute endometritis determined by histopathological findings of biopsy samples taken 1 day after infusion and fibrotic endometrial alterations detected in the subsequent cycle. No relationships were observed between fibrotic changes of the endometrium and uterine blood flow during either cycle. In conclusion, acute inflammation is accompanied by a rise in uterine blood flow, but fibrotic alterations do not seem to be related to Doppler sonographic findings.

Keyword

color Doppler sonography; cow; endometritis; uterine blood flow

MeSH Terms

Animals
Cattle
Cattle Diseases/diagnostic imaging/immunology/*physiopathology
Endometritis/diagnostic imaging/immunology/physiopathology/*veterinary
Female
Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color/veterinary
Uterine Artery/diagnostic imaging/immunology/*physiopathology
Uterus/blood supply/*physiopathology

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Example of a spectral Doppler waveform representing one cardiac cycle. Left uterine artery in a cow.

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  Fig. 2 (A) Time-averaged maximum velocity (TAMV) of the uterine arteries before and after intrauterine infusion of policresulen. (B) Blood flow volume (BFV) of the uterine arteries before and after intrauterine infusion of policresulen. (C) Pulsatility Index values (PI) of the uterine arteries before and after intrauterine infusion of policresulen. Values are the means ± SEM of 6 cows. L, Lotagen infusion.

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  Fig. 3 (A) Progesterone (P4) concentrations before and after intrauterine infusion of policresulen. (B) Estrogen (E2) concentrations before and after intrauterine infusion of policresulen. Values are the means ± SEM of 6 cows.

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  Fig. 4 Histopathological examination of bovine endometrial biopsies. (A) Healthy endometrium (Hematoxylin-Eosin). (B) Acute purulent endometritis (Hematoxylin-Eosin). (C) Acute purulent endometritis (May-Grünwald-Giemsa). Scale bars = 100 µm (A), 50 µm (B), 20 µm (C).

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