Continuous in vivo measurement of plasma ionized calcium

A new system for continuous in vivo measurement of ionized calcium in blood is presented. The system consists of a small chamber (400 microliter) which is thermostatized at 37 degrees C and contains a glass electrode for pH measurement and a calcium selective electrode. The chamber is mounted in an arteriovenous shunt between the femoral artery and femoral vein of heparinized (approximately 1IU/min.kg B.W.) rats. The perfusion of approximately 500 microliter/min is driven by blood pressure. The system is tested in rats undergoing acute thyroparathyroidectomy and phosphate infusion. Due to this procedure ionized calcium falls from 0.9 mmol/l (total calcium 2.0 mmol/l) to 0.35 mmol/l (total calcium 1.2 mmol/l) after 5 hours. Tetany then occurs in all animals. The system presented simplifies the measurement of ionized calcium and has the advantages of immediate and continuous recording. It is especially apt for small animals in which repeated measurements with standard techniques involve large blood losses.