The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Vol 73, 578-582, Copyright © 1977 by The American Association for Thoracic Surgery and The Western Thoracic Surgical Association
Pulmonary blood volume and its significance in pulmonary hemodynamics immediately after mitral commissurotomy
T Sakamoto and T Yamada
Immediately after mitral commissurotomy, we measured pulmonary blood volume
by dye-dilution method and investigated the relationships between pulmonary
blood volume and other hemodynamic parameters. Pulmonary blood volume
correlated directly to pulmonary mean transit time, cardiac index, stroke
volume index, and mean left atrial pressure. Pulmonary blood volume
increased with mean pulmonary arterial pressures up to 35 mm. Hg but
decreased with elevation above this level. The same patterns were observed
in the correlations between pulmonary blood volume and both pulmonary
distending pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance. These observations
suggest that the changes of the pulmonary vessels begin with the elevation
of mean pulmonary arterial pressure above 35 mm. Hg, pulmonary distending
pressure above 25 mm. Hg or pulmonary vascular resistance above 5 units.
Therefore, it is desirable to maintain mean pulmonary arterial pressure
below 35 mm. Hg in patients immediately after mitral commissurotomy.