Abstract
We have studied some of the acute and chronic effects of the ligation of one umbilical artery in the lamb fetus. Via laparotomy and hysterotomy one umbilical artery is isolated. A polyvinyl catheter is advanced retrogradely into the fetal aorta. The distal portion of the artery is ligated, and the catheter exteriorized. Arterial blood pressure, heart rate, and blood pH, pCO2 and pO2 determinations were performed at various intervals until the end of the gestation.
Preliminary observations indicate that fetal survival is possible. Although fetuses near term usually do not survive this insult more than a few hours, long term survival (4 to 57 days) was observed in 6 animals of an earlier gestational age (80 to 120 days). After an initial period of hypoxia, hypercapnia, and acidosis, a remarkable stabilization occurred and ‘normal’ values were observed. Mean arterial pressures ranged from 48 to 66 mm Hg and heart rates from 140 to 260 per minute. The range of arterial pH was 7.37 to 7.45, pO2 11 to 24 mm Hg and pCO2 34 to 53 mm Hg. In spite of this apparently normal gas and hydrogen ion exchange between mother and fetus, profound fetal malnutrition has been observed. This ‘experimental model’ may have a potential value for studying chronic fetal distress due to placental insufficiency. (SPR)
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Emmanouilides, G., Townsend, D., Bauer, R. et al. 2 Acute and Chronic Effects of one Umbilical Artery Ligation in the Lamb Fetus. Pediatr Res 1, 200 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-196705000-00009
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-196705000-00009