Abstract
In anaesthetic practice the risk of hypoxia and arterial blood gas disturbances is evident, as most anaesthetic regimens depress the respiratory function. Hypoxia may be extended during recovery, and for this reason we wished to investigate if oxygen supply during a one hour post-operative period reduced the development of hypoxia and respiratory acidosis in rats anaesthetized with fentanyl/fluanisone and midazolam. Twelve Sprague Dawley rats underwent surgery and were divided in two groups, breathing either 100% oxygen or atmospheric air during a post-operative period. The peripheral blood oxygen saturation and arterial acid-base status were analyzed for differences between the two groups. We found that oxygen supply after surgery prevented hypoxia but did not result in a significant difference in the blood acid-base status. All rats developed respiratory acidosis, which could not be reversed by supplemental oxygen supply. We concluded that oxygen supply improved oxygen saturation and avoided hypoxia but did not have an influence on the acid-base status.
Highlights
It is well known that oxygen supply during surgery in rodents improves post-operative recovery
We aimed to investigate if post-operative oxygen supply had an influence on blood oxygenation and arterial acid-base status in rats anaesthetized with fentanyl/fluanisone and midazolam to advance knowledge on physiological parameters during anaesthesia of laboratory rat surgery
We found that post-operative oxygen supply at 0.25 L/min significantly reduced hypoxia, but it did not prevent respiratory acidosis
Summary
It is well known that oxygen supply during surgery in rodents improves post-operative recovery. In rats anaesthetized by ketamine and xylazine, oxygen supply during the procedure reduced mortality from 58% to 17% during bile duct ligation [1]. As a reason for mortality, drug induced hypoxia was suggested. Other drug combinations may cause hypoxia, such as combinations containing the opioids fentanyl or sufentanil. Opiates cause respiratory depression, which can be seen by a reduced respiratory rate and low blood oxygen saturation [4]. For this reason, pulsoximetry should always be performed during surgical procedures in rodents for monitoring vital signs during anaesthesia [5]. Acid-base status of anaesthetized animals can be monitored by analyses of arterial blood samples, which is valuable during long
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