Intraosseous pressure changes during simulated dives: fact or transducer artifact?

Anesthetized rabbits were placed in a compression chamber and the intraosseous pressure (IOP) in one femur was recorded during simulated dives to a depth of 20 m. No change in IOP was observed during any phase of these simulated dives. However the pressure transducer (Statham P23 Dc) used to measure the IOP was found to be affected by changes in the ambient temperature which occurred during compression and decompression. This may account for the changes in canine femoral IOP observed by others during similar experimental conditions.