Gas tensions in spermatic and peripheral blood of rams with normal and heat-treated testes

Abstract

Testicular gas tensions were studied using spermatic vein blood samples measured at 37.1 C. When gas tensions were corrected to testicular temperature in the normal animal, values of 23.5 and 37.0 mm Hg were obtained for spermatic venous blood PO2 and PCO2, respectively. When scrotal temperature was raised to rectal temperature, there was little effect on the blood gas tensions measured at 37.1 C, even though increased respiratory ventilation resulted in a significant increase in arterial PO2.It was concluded that most of the increase of testicular oxygen tension during scrotal warming that has been seen in direct measurements of tissue PO2 can be accounted for by the purely physical effect of increased temperature on blood gases. Either no vasocilation resulted from scrotal warming, or if dilatation occurred, it was balanced by a rise in O2 consumption.