RESPIRATORY ALKALOSIS DURING ANESTHESIA III. HEMOGLOBINEMIA FOLLOWING PROLONGED HYPERVENTILATION

¹ From the Department of Pharmacology of the University of Wisconsin, Madison

Severe and prolonged respiratory alkalosis in the dog is accompanied by hemoglobinemia which occurs one-hall to four hours after the onset of hyperventilation. It is not necessarily related to anesthesia since it occurs likewise in the unanesthetized animal.

Hyperventilation with warmed and humidified air or oxygen does not prevent hemolysis.

Hemoglobinemia does not occur if alkalosis is prevented by hyperventilation with air-CO₂ mixtures. Continuous gastric lavage with 0.35 per cent HCl during hyperventilation prevents hemolysis, thereby relating the erythrocyte destruction to the elevation in pH rather than to the reduction in CO₂ tension.

It is suggested that this means of inducing hemolysis may be advantageously used since no foreign substances need be added to blood.