Relation between shunt, aeration, and perfusion in experimental acute lung injury.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

In a pulmonary process characterized by spatially heterogeneous loss of aeration, the impairment of gas exchange is expected to depend on the regional distribution of perfusion relative to that of aeration.

Objectives

To investigate how regional aeration, shunt, and perfusion are interrelated at different levels of end-expiratory pressure and how their interplay relates to global shunt fraction in acute lung injury.

Methods

Regional shunt and perfusion were assessed by imaging with positron emission tomography the pulmonary kinetics of [(13)N]nitrogen infused in saline solution in five sheep after lung lavage. The lung field was divided in six horizontal regions.

Measurements and main results

Each animal showed an inverse relation between regional shu

SUBMITTER: Musch G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2218852 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature