Observations on long bone medullary pressures in relation to arterial PO2, PCO2 and pH in the anaesthetized dog.

To investigate the influence of variations in arterial oxygen tensions (PaO2), arterial carbon dioxide tensions (PaCO2), and arterial pH on long bone medullary pressures, seven anaesthetized dogs were investigated. Comparing the control medullary pressures, i.e. the mean medullary pressures obtained at the normal range of PaO2 (75--110 mmHg) with the mean medullary pressures corresponding to the range of PaO2 of less than 75 mmHg, statistically significant (P less than 0.05) decreases were seen in both epiphyseal, metaphyseal and diaphyseal medullary pressures, from 27.6 +/- 5.0 to 15.5 +/- 3.6 mmHg, from 23.5 +/- 2.9 to 13.9 +/- 2.3 mmHg and from 27.7 +/- 3.9 to 18.3 +/- 2.5 mmHg (all mean values +/- s.e. mean), respectively. Hyperoxia, hypocapnia, hypercapnia or metabolic acidosis had no effect on medullary pressures in any of the regions studied.