Control of acid-base status during hypothermia in man

Rahn's concepts of acid-base balance during hypothermia were tested in humans by studying eleven men who required extra-corporeal cooling for surgery. Hypothermia was moderate (27-28 degrees C) and maintained for 60-70 min. Extracorporeal blood perfusion (ECBP) was performed with a bubble-oxygenator which allowed changes in blood flow and gas concentrations. Arterial pH (pHa) at the person's body temperature was controlled by varying CO2 flow to the oxygenator in order to maintain in vitro pH measured at 37 degrees C in the normal range. During hypothermia and after rewarming to 37 degrees C, bicarbonate concentration and total CO2 content of arterial and mixed venous blood remained constant. A physiologic solution was introduced into the peritoneal cavity which was used as a tonometer; the values of equilibrated CO2 content in peritoneal fluid were constant. Neither metabolic acidosis nor hypercapnia developed. Blood acid-base balance in vivo during hypothermia was therefore identical to the behavior of blood in vitro. In addition, the interpretation of the results of acid-base studies, in humans with abnormal central temperature is facilitated when measurements are performed at 37 degrees C.