Partial tissue oxygen pressure in the spinal cord was measured in the rabbits by polarographical method. The study was done in the thoracic cord after laminectomy of T6, T7 and T8 with a small size of needle electrodes being inserted. The average PO2 showed 11.9±0.9mmHg in the white matter and 26.7±3.3mmHg in the gray matter. The blood pressure was maintained within the normal range, 80-120mmHg during the determination. Then the blood pressure was made changed by venous administration of noraderenaline and trimetaphane. The PO2 showed to increase or decrease parallel in proportion to that of blood pressure. In addition, PO2 in the spinal cord showed a rapid increase when pure oxygen gas was inspired through intubation.
