[Is there a possibility of paraplacental oxygenation of fetal blood? First results of an investigation with fluorocarbon (author's transl)].

By checking the cardiotropic effect on fetal rabbits we tried to find out weather there is a possibility of paraplacental oxygenation of fetal blood. Amniotic caves of nine fetal rabbits of 28th or 29th day of gestation are perfused with Perfluorobutyltetrahydrofuran (FX 80, 3 M Comp., St. Paul, Minn., USA) continuously. This was done by double blind investigation. The fetal heart rate is written by Hewlett-Packard-cardiotocograph. Therefore we use modificated EEG-electrodes. 48 h before we cut the spinal cord of the pregnant animals just for analgesie. So we exclude the influence of analgesics or narcotics. After complete interruption of uterine blood supply you can find an initial reduction of fetal heart rate. Using fluorocarbon we notice an increasing or stabilisation of fetal heart rate of all rabbit fetus. In comparison with control animals the difference is high significant. The cardial survival rate of four fetal rabbits treated with fluorocarbon is prolonged up to 50 min. During this time all "fluorocarbon fetus" never died earlier than the control animals. Lots of new questions are provoked by our results. One has to find an answer.