Veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
High inspired oxygen concentrations increase intrapulmonary shunt in anaesthetized horses.
To compare pulmonary function and gas exchange in anaesthetized horses during and after breathing either O2-rich gas mixtures or air. ⋯ In healthy horses undergoing short-term dissociative anaesthesia, air breathing ensures a level of oxygen delivery that meets tissue demand. There is no benefit to horses in breathing O2-rich gas after the gas supply is discontinued. On the contrary, the degree of shunt induced by breathing O2-rich gas persists. The clinical relevance of this during recovery requires investigation.