Heterogeneity of maximal lobar emptying rates in dogs with compensatory lung growth

Abstract

Five dogs underwent left pneumonectomy at 10 wk of age, whereas four littermates underwent a sham operation. At 26 wk of age the postpneumonectomy dogs had total lung vital capacity (VC) and lung weight similar to controls, but maximum expiratory flow was reduced. Pressure capsules were glued to right lower (RLL) and right cardiac (RCL) lobes, and alveolar pressures (PA) were measured during forced expiration. In postpneumonectomy dogs RLL and RCL both emptied more slowly than in control dogs, and emptying was especially delayed in RCL, which underwent the most growth. When both lobes deflated together, PA in RCL and RLL were similar in control dogs, but in postpneumonectomy dogs PA in RCL exceeded that in RLL by approximately 3 cmH2O from 80 to 20% VC. Because the higher driving pressure in RCL compensated for the relatively high resistance of RCL, the pattern of lobar emptying was relatively uniform over these lung volumes. This result was compatible with interdependence of lobar maximum expiratory flows. In addition, at PA of 6-10 cmH2O in postpneumonectomy dogs, maximum emptying rates of RCL were less when RCL deflated alone than when RCL and RLL emptied together, again demonstrating interdependence of lobar maximum expiratory flow.