The effect of splenectomy on circulatory adjustments to hypoxaemia in the anaesthetized dog.

Six intact and seven splenectomized dogs were subjected to a similar degree of hypoxaemia while under light anaesthesia and artificial ventilation. In the intact animals, heart rate, cardiac output, myocardial contractility and oxygen consumption were increased as a result of hypoxaemia; oxygen transport was not affected. In the splenectomized animals the changes in cardiac output and myocardial contractility were small, and oxygen availability was decreased.