Intracompartmental muscle pressure, temperature and pH in the horse undergeneral anesthesia

Intracompartmental muscle pressure, temperature and pH were measured in a group of 23 anesthetized horses in an attempt to elucidate the etiology of post-anesthetic lameness (PAL). The intramuscular pressure remained reasonably constant throughout anesthesia in most horses, while muscle temperature and pH fell. Five of the horses became lame after anesthesia. Two of these lame horses exhibited atypical trends in the physiological variables measured. The etiology of PAL is discussed in the lightof the results.