Effect of Hypothermia on Compliance and Resistance of the Lung-Thorax System of Anesthetized Man

¹ From the Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pennsylvania Schools of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Knowledge of the compliance and resistance of the lungs and thoracic cage in the anesthetized human subject is of practical importance in developing the best procedure and apparatus for artificially ventilating the lungs of apneic subjects or of those with depressed respiration. It is not possible to predict from measurements at normal body temperature the change in compliance and resistance of the lung-thorax system at reduced body temperatures. Using the method of Nims, Conner and Comroe, we have measured compliance and resistance in eight anesthetized apneic patients before and during reduction of body temperature by surface cooling. There was no significant change in compliance or resistance of the lung-thorax system of anesthetized man with reduction of body temperature to as low as 29°C.

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