Biomaterial Database

Foetal deterioration following thiopentone-nitrous oxide anaesthesia in the pregnant ewe. 1977

R J Palahniuk, and M Cumming

Six pregnant sheep were chronically prepared with indwelling catheters in maternal and foetal vessels and a flow probe around a maternal uterine artery. They were anaesthetized the following day with thiopentone and nitrous oxide (70 per cent)--oxygen (30 per cent) maintenance with tracheal intubation. Maternal uterine blood flow fell about 20 per cent following induction of anaesthesia. This resulted from uterine vasoconstriction which, in turn, probably resulted from maternal catecholamine release during light anaesthesia. The foetus in utero developed a mixed metabolic and respiratory acidosis and a fall in oxygen saturation. The possibility that light maternal anaesthesia increases rather than decreases neonatal depression is discussed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009609	Nitrous Oxide	Nitrogen oxide (N2O). A colorless, odorless gas that is used as an anesthetic and analgesic. High concentrations cause a narcotic effect and may replace oxygen, causing death by asphyxia. It is also used as a food aerosol in the preparation of whipping cream.	Laughing Gas,Nitrogen Protoxide,Gas, Laughing,Oxide, Nitrous
D010100	Oxygen	An element with atomic symbol O, atomic number 8, and atomic weight [15.99903; 15.99977]. It is the most abundant element on earth and essential for respiration.	Dioxygen,Oxygen-16,Oxygen 16
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D001794	Blood Pressure	PRESSURE of the BLOOD on the ARTERIES and other BLOOD VESSELS.	Systolic Pressure,Diastolic Pressure,Pulse Pressure,Pressure, Blood,Pressure, Diastolic,Pressure, Pulse,Pressure, Systolic,Pressures, Systolic
D002302	Cardiac Output	The volume of BLOOD passing through the HEART per unit of time. It is usually expressed as liters (volume) per minute so as not to be confused with STROKE VOLUME (volume per beat).	Cardiac Outputs,Output, Cardiac,Outputs, Cardiac
D002585	Cesarean Section	Extraction of the FETUS by means of abdominal HYSTEROTOMY.	Abdominal Delivery,Delivery, Abdominal,C-Section (OB),Caesarean Section,Postcesarean Section,Abdominal Deliveries,C Section (OB),C-Sections (OB),Caesarean Sections,Cesarean Sections,Deliveries, Abdominal
D005260	Female		Females
D005333	Fetus	The unborn young of a viviparous mammal, in the postembryonic period, after the major structures have been outlined. In humans, the unborn young from the end of the eighth week after CONCEPTION until BIRTH, as distinguished from the earlier EMBRYO, MAMMALIAN.	Fetal Structures,Fetal Tissue,Fetuses,Mummified Fetus,Retained Fetus,Fetal Structure,Fetal Tissues,Fetus, Mummified,Fetus, Retained,Structure, Fetal,Structures, Fetal,Tissue, Fetal,Tissues, Fetal
D000136	Acid-Base Equilibrium	The balance between acids and bases in the BODY FLUIDS. The pH (HYDROGEN-ION CONCENTRATION) of the arterial BLOOD provides an index for the total body acid-base balance.	Anion Gap,Acid-Base Balance,Acid Base Balance,Acid Base Equilibrium,Anion Gaps,Balance, Acid-Base,Equilibrium, Acid-Base,Gap, Anion,Gaps, Anion
D000758	Anesthesia	A state characterized by loss of feeling or sensation. This depression of nerve function is usually the result of pharmacologic action and is induced to allow performance of surgery or other painful procedures.