Effect of Circulatory Changes on the Pulmonary Compliance of Normal Subjects and Patients with Mitral Stenosis

Abstract

Fulfillment by the lungs of their bellows function depends largely on their resiliency and elasticity. Unless the lungs can readily comply with the changes in the thoracic cage during inspiration and expiration, ventilation will be seriously impaired. Pulmonary compliance is expressed as the ratio of lung volume in liters to intraesophageal pressure in centimeters of water. The present study is concerned with the role of pulmonary vascular engorgement in reducing compliance in normal subjects and in patients with mitral stenosis.