Arterial to end-tidal carbon dioxide tension difference during anaesthesia for tubal ligation.

Twenty-nine patients scheduled for postnatal tubal ligation by minilaparotomy under general anaesthesia were studied. Arterial and end-tidal carbon dioxide tensions were determined during anaesthesia. The mean arterial to end-tidal carbon dioxide tension difference was 0.08 kPa (SEM 0.05). Thirty-one percent of the patients had negative values. These results were similar to those observed during Caesarean section. The physiological changes responsible for reduced arterial to end-tidal carbon dioxide values, persist into the postnatal period. It is predicted from the regression analysis of the time between delivery and anaesthesia for tubal ligation and arterial to end-tidal CO2 difference, that the values might return to normal nonpregnant levels by 8 days following delivery.