Hemodynamics and gas exchange during experimental one-lung fluid flooding in pigs

Abstract

One-sided fluid flooding of the lung after intubation with a double-lumen tube facilitates pulmonary sonography during surgery. Arterial blood pressure, cardiac index, and heart rate remained unchanged during one-lung fluid flooding in healthy animals. The arterial PO₂ was greater by about 100 mmHg after flooding one lung with 15 ml/kg fluid and ventilation with a FiO₂ of 1.0 compared with total atelectasis. This seems to be identical to a continuos positive airway pressure level of 5 cm H₂O with pure oxygen on the nonventilated lung. The one-sided fluid flooding induced a statistically significant increase in pulmonary artery pressures and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure. In comparison with total atelectasis, fluid flooding in tendency reduced the pulmonary right-left shunt and increased the arterial PO₂.