Measurement of inferior vena caval blood flow in man

¹ Medical Division, Montefiore Hospital, New York City

Employing a method dependent upon the difference in concentration of PAH in renal venous and peripheral blood, the blood flow through the lower inferior vena cava has been measured in 14 unanesthetized, resting human subjects. These included five noncardiac and nine cardiac patients of whom four were in relatively severe failure. The error of measurement may be as high as 10–15%. In normal subjects, this flow was 28–36% of the cardiac output. It was not significantly different in mild cardiac patients, but was both absolutely and relatively decreased in more severely ill patients, presumably as blood is diverted to supply the increased needs of the respiratory muscles of dyspneic patients. In two subjects who experienced pyrogen reactions, the temperature rise was accompanied by concurrent significant increases in renal and lower caval blood flow.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. B Riley, S. B Hardin, B. A Winn, and M. B Hurdle In vitro comparison of cavoatrial (dual stage) cannulae for use during cardiopulmonary bypass Perfusion, July 1, 1986; 1(3): 197 - 204. [Abstract] [PDF]