ISSN:
1432-2013
Keywords:
Gas embolism
;
Pulmonary embolism
;
Pulmonary arterial pressure
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Summary Mongrel dogs weighing 15–25 kg and anesthetized with thiopental-gamma-hydroxybutyric acid were used to investigate the effects of pulmonary gas embolism on pulmonary arterial pressure (P ap ), systemic arterial pressure (P a ) and cardiac output ( $$\dot Q$$ ). Pulmonary gas embolism was produced either by venous injection or by venous infusion. The most marked effect of pulmonary gas embolism on circulation was an increase inP ap which returned to the original level after stopping the gas administration. 1. After gas injectionP ap rose to a maximum within 30\2-60 s. The extent of this rise inP ap showed a positive correlation with the volume of the injected gas. The kind of gas (oxygen, helium, neon, nitrogen, air), however, did not influence the extent of the rise inP ap , but did influence the time of return ofP ap to the original level. Carbon dioxide showed an exceptional behavior in that it had almost no effect onP ap at all.P a hardly changed with the volume of the gas injections (20\2-60 ml injected within 1 s); $$\dot Q$$ was not measured after gas injections (the direct Fick method is not usable in this situation). 2. Gas infusion caused a slow rise ofP ap , its steep-ness and extent depending on the rate of infusion and on the physical properties of the infused gas. When the right ventricle was able to maintain its output, a constant level ofP ap was reached after 10\2-15 min. In this circulatory steady stateP ap appeared to be a measure of the degree of embolization. However, this relationship no longer held when the right ventricle failed as evidenced by a fall inP ap ,P a and $$\dot Q$$ . It may be concluded that pulmonary gas embolism produces a transient partial obstruction in the pulmonary circulation and that the performance of the right ventricle determines the maximum degree of embolization compatible with a sufficient circulation.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01063459
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