PULMONARY BLOOD PRESSURES

Abstract

The fact that in approximately 25 per cent, of the reported cases of lobectomy in man death is due to cardiac failure stimulated us to study the effect on the pulmonary circulation and the right heart of ligation of the pulmonary artery. It is known that in animals there is a rise in pulmonary pressure after ligation of one of the pulmonary arteries; but no one has made repeated observations to show how long the pressure remains above normal, and no one has tried to reproduce in animals a chronic lung suppuration, and then study the effect on the heart and pulmonary circulation of the various stages of the surgical operation for removal of the infected portion of the lung. Our plan was first to assemble an apparatus and develop a technic for taking repeated tracings directly from the pulmonary artery without endangering the life of the animal. A series