Oxygen consumption by hepatic tissue after transfusion of a stroma-free haemoglobin solution

The ability of stroma-free haemoglobin solutions to transport oxygen was investigated by determining the oxygen consumption by the liver using Warburg's microrespirator. 50 ml of blood were removed from the rabbit under general anaesthesia and replaced by an identical volume of a non-oxygenated or oxygenated haemoglobin solution. The control rabbits received no transfusions. It was found that arterial hypotension produced by blood-letting caused a significant rise in oxygen consumption by the hepatic tissue. The rise was increased even more when the rabbits received no transfusions. Transfusion of non-oxygenated haemoglobin solutions caused likewise a rise in oxygen consumption immediately after transfusion. This rise was, however, not so significant as in the control group. On the other hand, transfusion of oxygenated haemoglobin solutions produced no rise in the oxygen consumption by the liver as compared to its value after blood-letting.