Ventriculocisternal cerebrospinal perfusion in unanesthetized fetal lambs.

Methods have been developed for the placement of cannulas in the lateral cerebral ventricle and cisternum magnum of the fetal lamb. Three to seven days after surgery, perfusion of the cerebral ventricular system was carried out in unanesthetized lambs in utero. Artificial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was perfused at 123 microliter/min for 4-5 h with no change in fetal arterial O2 pressure, CO2 pressure, pH, mean arterial blood pressure, or heart rate. The preparation is suitable for measurements of net formation of fetal central CSF and also for producing changes in the ionic composition of the fetal CSF.