O2 Availability and O2 Metabolism in Cold Induced Brain Edema

Considerable efforts have been made to investigate the patho-physiology of brain edema. Results have been obtained on the spread of edema , biochemical alterations2 , water content6 and elevation of intracranial pressure5. Our field of interest was tissue oxygenation and autoregulation of local oxygen supply in edematous cerebral tissue compared to normal brain. With a multiwire micro-surface electrode, PO2 histograms were made under various conditions as well as PO2 changes measured after complete arrest of cerebral blood flow. In addition a hydrogen clearance technique was used to measure local cerebral blood flow. The influence of various anesthetics such as Pentobarbital and Ketamine was studied.