Pulmonary blood flow redistribution by increased gravitational force.

This study was undertaken to assess the influence of gravity on the distribution of pulmonary blood flow (PBF) using increased inertial force as a perturbation. PBF was studied in unanesthetized swine exposed to -Gx (dorsal-to-ventral direction, prone position), where G is the magnitude of the force of gravity at the surface of the Earth, on the Armstrong Laboratory Centrifuge at Brooks Air Force Base. PBF was measured using 15-micron fluorescent microspheres, a method with markedly enhanced spatial resolution. Each animal was exposed randomly to -1, -2, and -3 Gx. Pulmonary vascular pressures, cardiac output, heart rate, arterial blood gases, and PBF distribution were measured at each G level. Heterogeneity of PBF distribution as measured by the coefficient of variation of PBF distribution increased from 0.38 +/- 0.05 to 0.55 +/- 0.11 to 0.72 +/- 0.16 at -1, -2, and -3 Gx, respectively. At -1 Gx, PBF was greatest in the ventral and cranial and lowest in the dorsal and caudal regions of the lung. With increased -Gx, this gradient was augmented in both directions. Extrapolation of these values to 0 G predicts a slight dorsal (nondependent) region dominance of PBF and a coefficient of variation of 0.22 in microgravity. Analysis of variance revealed that a fixed component (vascular structure) accounted for 81% and nonstructure components (including gravity) accounted for the remaining 19% of the PBF variance across the entire experiment (all 3 gravitational levels). The results are inconsistent with the predictions of the zone model.

Pulmonary blood flow redistribution with low levels of positive end-expiratory pressure.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have questioned the importance of the gravitational model of pulmonary perfusion. Because low levels of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) are commonly used during anesthesia, the authors studied the distribution of pulmonary blood flow with low levels of PEEP using a high spatial resolution technique. They hypothesized that if hydrostatic factors were important in the distribution of pulmonary blood flow, PEEP would redistribute flow to more dependent lung regions. METHODS: The effects of zero cm H2O PEEP and 5 cm H2O PEEP on pulmonary gas exchange were studied using the multiple inert gas elimination technique; the distribution of pulmonary blood flow, using fluorescent-labeled microspheres, was also investigated in mechanically ventilated, pentobarbital-anesthetized dogs. The lungs were removed, cleared of blood, dried at total lung capacity, and then cubed to obtain approximately 1,000 small pieces of lung (approximately 1.7 cm3). RESULTS: Positive end-expiratory pressure increased the partial pressure of oxygen by 6 +/- 2 mmHg (P < 0.05) and reduced all measures of ventilation and perfusion heterogeneity (P < 0.05). By reducing flow to nondependent ventral lung regions and increasing flow to dependent dorsal lung regions, PEEP increased (P < 0.05) the dorsal-to-ventral gradient. Redistribution of blood flow with PEEP accounted for 7 +/- 3%, whereas structural factors accounted for 93 +/- 3% of the total variance in blood flow. CONCLUSIONS: The increase in dependent-to-nondependent gradient with PEEP is partially consistent with the gravitationally based lung zone model. However, the results emphasize the greater importance of anatomic factors in determining the distribution of pulmonary blood flow.

Non-conventional respiratory support modalities applicable in the older child. High frequency ventilation and liquid ventilation.

HFV, LV, and several other novel therapies offer promise to adults and children that the mortality associated with respiratory failure may be affected. Although there are several forms of HFV, HFOV is presently gaining favor in the treatment of severe respiratory failure and has generally supplanted HFJV in pediatric critical care. HFOV has the advantage of having an active expiratory phase, which helps to minimize air trapping and better modulate mean lung volume. Ventilators with sufficient power to perform HFOV in adults are currently under investigation, although there is a growing experience in using current ventilators in larger patients. To date, however, demonstration of lowered mortality with HFOV is lacking although intermediate outcome indicators are improved. PLV also offers promise in the treatment of ARF through its drastic ability to improve oxygenation, ventilation, and compliance in many lung injury models. Human trials are presently underway, but the optimal delivery of this novel therapy still necessitates extensive investigation. TLV is likely even more removed from general clinical application given the necessity of developing a new generation of ventilators for the delivery of liquid tidal volumes. How these and other modalities may piece together to improve the condition of our patients who have respiratory failure remains to be seen, but certainly, present and future investigation will be intriguing for years to come.

Drowning and immersion injuries in children.

Drowning and immersion injuries are leading causes of mortality and morbidity in children. An increasing amount of epidemiologic information is available. New modalities for managing respiratory failure, such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, are being explored. The realization that aggressive neurointensive care does not improve desirable outcome after near-drowning has led to investigations on preventing secondary brain injury that focus on monitoring and restoring cerebral oxygenation and circulation, reversing hypothermia, and maintaining normal blood glucose levels. Efforts at early neurologic prognostication and identification of victims who are likely to die or persist in a vegetative state are increasingly accurate and are highly relevant. Critical care physicians are more likely to withhold or withdraw support from victims who have minimal likelihood of meaningful recovery.