Oxygen tension in synovial fluids.

The results of a study on the oxygen tension in 103 synovial fluids from knee joints are presented. The lowest tensions were found in synovial fluids from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. In some cases it was found to be as low as O mmHg. The oxygen tension in synovial fluids from patients with osteoarthrosis and from those with traumatic joint exudates was considerably higher. The pH and pCO2 were measured in all the cases. Significant correlation was found between pO2 and pH, and between pO2 and pCO2.