Pulmonary Vessels (pulmonary + vessel)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Responses of the bronchial and pulmonary circulations to short-term nitric oxide inhalation before and after endotoxaemia in the pig

ACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 1 2002
R. J. M. Middelveld
ABSTRACT The physiological responses of the bronchial circulation to acute lung injury and endotoxin shock are largely unexplored territory. This study was carried out to study the responsiveness of the bronchial circulation to nitric oxide (NO) inhalation before and after endotoxaemia, in comparison with the pulmonary circulation, as well as to study changes in bronchial blood flow during endotoxaemia. Six anaesthetized pigs (pre-treated with the cortisol-synthesis inhibitor metyrapone) received an infusion of 10 µg/kg endotoxin during 2 h. Absolute bronchial blood flow was measured via an ultrasonic flow probe around the bronchial artery. The pigs received increasing doses of inhaled NO over 5 min each (0, 0.2, 2 and 20 ppm) before and after 4 h of endotoxaemia. The increase in bronchial vascular conductance during 5 min of inhalation of 20 ppm NO before endotoxin shock was significantly higher (area under curve (AUC) 474.2 ± 84.5% change) than after endotoxin shock (AUC 118.2 ± 40.4%, P < 0.05 Mann,Whitney U -test). The reduction of the pulmonary arterial pressure by 20 ppm NO was not different. A short rebound effect of the pulmonary arterial pressure occurred after discontinuation of inhaled NO before endotoxaemia (AUC values above baseline 54.4 ± 19.7% change), and was virtually abolished after endotoxaemia (AUC 6.1 ± 4.0%, P = 0.052, Mann,Whitney U -test). Our results indicate that the responsiveness of the bronchial circulation to inhalation of increasing doses of inhaled NO during endotoxin shock clearly differ from the responsiveness of the pulmonary circulation. The reduced responsiveness of the bronchial circulation is probably related to decreased driving pressure for the bronchial blood flow. The absence of the short rebound effect on pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) after induction of shock could be related to maximum constriction of the pulmonary vessels at 4 h. [source]


Relationship of Ultrafiltration and Anastomotic Flow in Isolated Rat Lungs

MICROCIRCULATION, Issue 5 2001
WEN LIN
ABSTRACT Objective: When arterial and venous pressures are increased to equal values in "stop-flow" studies, perfusate continues to enter the pulmonary vasculature from the arterial and venous reservoirs. Losses of fluid from the pulmonary vasculature are due to ultrafiltration and flow through disrupted anastomotic (bronchial) vessels. This study compared the relative sites of ultrafiltration and anastomotic flows at low and high intravascular pressures. Methods: Isolated rat lungs were perfused for 10 minutes with FITC-dextran, which was used to detect ultrafiltration. Arterial and venous catheters were then connected to reservoirs containing radioactively labeled dextrans at 20 or 30 cm H2O for 10 minutes. The vasculature was subsequently flushed into serial vials, and ultrafiltration and vascular filling during the equal-pressure interval were calculated. Results: Ultrafiltration equaled 0.43 ± 0.11 mL at 20 cm H2O and was similar to the volume of fresh arterial and venous perfusate which entered and remained in the pulmonary vasculature during the equal-pressure interval (0.45 ± 0.10 mL). At 30 cm H2O, 0.80 ± 0.23 mL entered and remained in the vasculature during the equal-pressure interval, replacing the original perfusate, and calculated transudation (0.56 ± 0.09 mL) was not significantly more than at 20 cm H2O. Fluid also entered the airspaces at 30 cm H2O but not at 20 cm H2O. Conclusions: At 20 cm H2O, flow through anastomotic vessels occurs at sites that are at the arterial and venous ends of the microcirculation. Flow in exchange vessels remains minimal, permitting measurements of ultrafiltration and exchange. Losses of perfusate from the pulmonary vessels complicate measurements of ultrafiltration at 30 cm H2O. [source]


Combining low inspired oxygen and carbon dioxide during mechanical ventilation for the Norwood procedure

PEDIATRIC ANESTHESIA, Issue 1 2003
Ilan Keidan MD
Summary Background: Staged reconstruction has become the preferred approach for treating neonates with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). The haemodynamic instability of a single ventricle providing blood flow in parallel to the systemic and the pulmonary circulation, combined with the effects of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), results in precarious perioperative conditions. The two ventilatory manoeuvres commonly used for increasing pulmonary vascular resistance are (i) decreasing the fraction of inspired oxygen to <,0.21 and (ii) adding carbon dioxide (CO2) to the ventilatory circuit. Whether molecular nitrogen (N2) or CO2 is used in these situations is a matter of physician and institutional preference. The effect of the two modalities in combination has not been studied in depth. Methods: This prospective observational study was designed to look at the effects of adding inhaled CO2 to children with HLHS who were already on a hypoxic mixture during the immediate perioperative period. Results: Twelve suitable neonates were enrolled in the study. Combining the two ventilatory modalities had an additive effect. The effect was more significant in the prebypass (83% of patients) compared with the postbypass period (25% of patients). Conclusions: Low inspired oxygen and CO2 have an additive vasoconstrictive effect on the pulmonary vessels. The use of both of these ventilatory manoeuveres is less effective postoperatively compared with the prebypass period. [source]


Neuronal nitric oxide synthase does not contribute to the modulation of pulmonary vascular tone in fetal lambs with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (nNOS in CDH lambs),

PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY, Issue 4 2008
Anthony S. de Buys Roessingh MD
Abstract Aim The aim of this study was to determine the presence of the neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in near full-term lambs with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and its role in the modulation of pulmonary vascular basal tone. Methods We surgically created diaphragmatic hernia on the 85th day of gestation. On the 135th, catheters were used to measure pulmonary pressure and blood flow. We tested the effects of 7-nitroindazole (7-NINA), a specific nNOS antagonist and of N -nitro- l -arginine (l -NNA), a nonspecific nitric oxide synthase antagonist. In vitro, we tested the effects of the same drugs on isolated pulmonary vessels. The presence of nNOS protein in the lungs was detected by Western blot analysis. Results Neither 7-NINA nor l -NNA modified pulmonary vascular basal tone in vivo. After l -NNA injection, acetylcholine (ACh) did not decrease significantly pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). In vitro, l -NNA increased the cholinergic contractile-response elicited by electric field stimulation (EFS) of vascular rings from lambs with diaphragmatic hernia. Conclusion We conclude that nNOS protein is present in the lungs and pulmonary artery of near full-term lamb fetuses with diaphragmatic hernia, but that it does not contribute to the reduction of pulmonary vascular tone at birth. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2008; 43:313,321. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Blunted effect of the Kv channel inhibitor on pulmonary circulation in Tibetan sheep: A model for studying hypoxia and pulmonary artery pressure regulation

RESPIROLOGY, Issue 1 2004
Takeshi Ishizaki
Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of 4-aminopyridine, a Kv channel inhibitor, on the pulmonary circulation of Tibetan sheep. It has been reported that chronic hypoxia downregulates the 4-aminopyridine (4AP)-sensitive Kv channel (which governs the membrane potential (Em) of pulmonary vascular smooth muscle cells in pulmonary vessels) without a change in 4AP sensitivity. Methodology: Pulmonary haemodynamic indices and blood gas analyses were measured in six young male animals in an altitude chamber that was adjusted to simulated altitudes of 0 m, 2260 m, and 4500 m. Drip infusion of 4AP, 10 mg/h for 3 h, was started and continued during the study. Results: With the increase in altitude mean pulmonary artery pressure increased and mean Pao2 decreased. 4AP had no effect on the levels of mean PPA, mean pulmonary artery wedge pressure, cardiac output, and mean PaO2, mean PaCO2, and mean pH at any altitude but tended to alter heart rate and mean arterial pressure at altitudes of 2260 m and 4500 m. Conclusion: It is concluded that the 4AP-sensitive Kv channel does not play a role in pulmonary vascular tone in high-altitude active Tibetan sheep. Their pulmonary vascular oxygen sensing appears not to involve Kv channels. [source]


Computed Tomography of the Lungs of the Dog by a Six-generation CT Scanner, Intravenous Contrast Medium and Different Windows

ANATOMIA, HISTOLOGIA, EMBRYOLOGIA, Issue 2005
L. Cardoso
Computed tomography (CT) is a modern technique of image diagnosis particularly recommended in human medicine to evaluate the existence of pulmonary pathological changes such as neoplasms, metastasis, interstitial infiltrates, etc. In veterinary medicine, however, few anatomical and clinical CT studies in the dog have used apparatus of the latest generation, including injection of intravenous contrast and application of regional specific CT windows with different window width (WW) and window level (WL) to evaluate the lungs, the pulmonary vessels and the bronchial structures. This methodology allows the obtaining of clear CT images with high capacity of tissue discrimination and different shades of attenuation. In this work we have planned a tomographic study of the lungs of the dog by using a six-generation spiral CT scanner (Toshiba Ex Vision), belonging to the private Medical Institute of Radiology ,Irion' of Porto Alegre, Brazil. Four mixed-breed mature dogs (4,6 years, 15,20 kg) were used, two males and two females. The dogs were anaesthetized and kept in a maximum inspiration when obtaining the images. Dogs were placed in a stretcher in a ventral or sternal recumbency. Previously, the contrast urografin® was injected in the cephalic vein. Different CT windows were applied in order to increase the quality of the images: pulmonary window (WW 928; WL -680), high-resolution pulmonary window (WW 1085; WL -750), and soft tissue window (WW 652; WL -34). The use of intravenous contrast, different CT windows and a modern CT apparatus produced excellent images of the pulmonary parenchyma, the pleural cavity, the pulmonary veins, the lobular rami of the pulmonary artery and the lobular bronchi. [source]