ABSTRACT
Trauma, accidental, or intentional injury, is a major cause of death in individuals aged 1-44 years (Arias et al., 2003). Traumatic injuries in the United States account for more loss of life expectancy years than heart disease or cancer (Trunkey, 1983). The majority of deaths due to trauma are a result of severe hemorrhage (Kelly et al., 2008; Moore et al., 1996). In recognition of this condition investigators began to employ domestic swine as a large animal model to investigate new and innovative techniques and drugs to sustain life and reduce morbidity in the patient with severe traumatic injuries resulting in hemorrhage. The swine model was selected for its many anatomical and functional similarities to humans, availability of animals with de¢ned characteristics, and the ease of accommodation to a wide variety of devices and procedures designed for human use. Ideally, an animal model should be as similar to the human clinical objective as possible.
