Tissue-Po₂ (P_GO₂) in the Carotid Body of the Cat and Tidal Volume (V̇) during Normovolaemic Haemodilution

Abstract

Although plasma expanders have been employed more and more often in clinical medicine, little is known about the function and reactions of the peripheral chemoreceptors under conditions of haemo-dilution. We have therefore studied how the peripheral chemoreceptors may be influenced by stepwise haemodilution, by investigating the behaviour of the tissue oxygen partial pressure (p_GO₂) in the carotid body of the cat and the ventilatory responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia. The experiments were done on 21 cats breathing spontaneously under sodium pentobarbital anaesthesia (40 – 65 mg/ kg b.w.).