EFFECT OF HELIUM AND OXYGEN MIXTURES ON PULMONARY RESISTANCES IN EMPHYSEMA

Abstract

It has been shown that, when subjects with severe emphysema breathed a mixture of 80% He and 20% O2, there was no change in static or dynamic compliance of the lungs, functional residual capacity, or static transpulmonary pressures. There were significant decreases in pulmonary resistance during normal breathing which amounted to approximately 20% of the value obtained with air. It is believed that this change in resistance is therapeutically significant in the short-term treatment of patients with severe obstructive disease of the lungs.