A Pilot Study of the Effects of Abdominal Aortic Cross Clamping on Metabolic Gas Exchange

Abstract

Cross-clamping of the abdominal aorta, as performed during surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysm, induces profound effects on the metabolic rate ( 1-3,5 ). However, in most of these studies, metabolic rate was estimated as oxygen consumption (V@ ), measured by the thermodilution technique. Today commercially available monitors are available for continuously measuring of metabolic gas exchange by indirect calorimetry ( 4 )/ providing a new method for making on-line determinations of intra-operative changes in metabolic rate.