The Physical Properties of Human Pulmonary Arteries and Veins

1978 ◽  
Vol 55 (5) ◽  
pp. 477-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Banks ◽  
F. V. McL. Booth ◽  
E. H. MacKay ◽  
B. Rajagopalan ◽  
G. De J. Lee

1. We have studied the extensibility of circumferential strips of main pulmonary artery and large pulmonary veins obtained at post mortem from patients of all ages, dying from conditions other than heart and lung disease. 2. The vessel strips were submitted to increasing loads in a tension balance. The pulmonary arteries were found to be readily extensible. This extensibility became less with increasing age. The pulmonary veins were virtually inextensible at all ages. 3. It is postulated that the large extraparenchymal pulmonary veins have a capacitative role in supplying blood from the lungs to the left atrium. This may be accomplished by their collapsible nature, as they have little capability of distension.

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyun-Hwa Cha ◽  
Hae Min Kim ◽  
Won Joon Seong

Abstract Background Unilateral pulmonary artery discontinuity is a rare malformation that is associated with other intracardiac abnormalities. Cases accompanied by other cardiac abnormalities are often missed on prenatal echocardiography. The prenatal diagnosis of isolated unilateral pulmonary artery discontinuity can also be delayed. However, undiagnosed this malformation would have an effect on further prognosis. We report our case of a prenatal diagnosis of pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect and left pulmonary artery discontinuity. Case presentation A 33-year-old Asian woman visited our institution at 24 weeks of gestation because of suspected fetal congenital heart disease. Fetal echocardiography revealed a small atretic main pulmonary artery giving rise to the right pulmonary artery without bifurcation and the left pulmonary artery arising from the ductus arteriosus originating from the left subclavian artery. The neonate was delivered by cesarean section at 376/7 weeks of gestation. Postnatal echocardiography and multidetector computed tomography showed a right aortic arch, with the small right pulmonary artery originating from the atretic main pulmonary artery and the left pulmonary artery originating from the left subclavian artery. Patency of the ductus arteriosus from the left subclavian artery was maintained with prostaglandin E1. Right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction and pulmonary angioplasty with Gore-Tex graft patch was performed 25th day after birth. Unfortunately, the neonate died because of right heart failure 8 days postoperation. Conclusion There is a possibility that both pulmonary arteries do not arise from the same great artery (main pulmonary artery or common arterial trunk). Therefore, clinicians should check the origin of both pulmonary arteries.


1995 ◽  
Vol 268 (4) ◽  
pp. H1586-H1592 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Gao ◽  
H. Zhou ◽  
J. U. Raj

Endothelium-derived nitric oxide (EDNO) modulates fetal pulmonary vasoactivity. The role of EDNO in regulation of vasomotor tone in fetal pulmonary arteries vs. that in veins is not known. We have investigated the role of EDNO in the responses of pulmonary arteries and veins of full-term fetal lambs. Fourth-generation pulmonary arterial and venous rings were suspended in organ chambers filled with modified Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate solution (95% O2-5% CO2 at 37 degrees C), and their isometric force was measured. N omega-nitro-L-arginine had no effect on the resting tension of pulmonary arteries with endothelium but caused contraction of pulmonary veins with endothelium. The basal level of intracellular guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) of pulmonary veins with endothelium was higher than that of arteries with endothelium. In pulmonary arteries, bradykinin, but not acetylcholine, induced endothelium-dependent relaxation and an increase in cGMP content. In pulmonary veins, acetylcholine, but not bradykinin, induced endothelium-dependent relaxation and an increase in cGMP content. Agonist-induced maximal relaxation and increases in cGMP content were smaller in pulmonary arteries than in veins. All these endothelium-dependent responses were abolished by N omega-nitro-L-arginine. In tissues without endothelium, nitric oxide induced significantly less relaxation and less increase in cGMP content in pulmonary arteries than in pulmonary veins. All vessels relaxed similarly to 8-bromoguanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate. Our data suggest that the role of EDNO in modulating tone differs between pulmonary arteries and veins in full-term fetal lambs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Author(s):  
Jorge Cervantes-Salazar ◽  
Jose García-Montes ◽  
Henry Peralta-Santos ◽  
Diego Ortega-Zhindón ◽  
Juan Calderón-Colmenero

We present two patients with history of recurrent respiratory infections, fatigue and sweating. They were diagnosed with absence of connection between the main pulmonary artery (MPA) and right pulmonary artery (RPA) and bilateral ductus arteriosus, with the RPA originating from the ductus arteriosus. Treatment was approached with a hybrid strategy: percutaneous intraluminal angioplasty with a right intraductal stent and device closure of the left ductus arteriosus and followed by surgical reconstruction with interposition of a graft from RPA to MPA. Both patients had a favorable outcome.


Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anudeep K Dodeja ◽  
Patrick I McConnell ◽  
Elisa A Bradley ◽  
Curt Daniels ◽  
Laxmi S Mehta ◽  
...  

Introduction: A dilated main pulmonary artery (MPA) seen in congenital heart disease (CHD) or pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare cause of angina due to left main coronary artery (LMCA) compression. Case: A 49 year old male with no prior cardiac history presented with substernal chest pain. He reported exercise intolerance for several years. On exam he had an oxygen saturation of 85%, loud P2, fixed split second heart sound and ejection click. Electrocardiogram showed right ventricular (RV) hypertrophy and no significant ST changes. Laboratory data revealed a negative troponin. An enlarged main and right pulmonary artery (RPA) (Figure 1A) was seen on computed tomography (CT) chest angiography for pulmonary embolism (CTPE) and on echocardiography he had a severely dilated RV with decreased function (Figure 1B,1C). Cardiac catheterization showed a step up in saturations from 56 to 71%, Qp:Qs of 1.5 mean MPA pressure of 53 mmHg, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure of 11mmHg and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) of 7WU. A slit-like narrowing of LMCA ostium was seen on coronary angiography and intravascular ultrasound (Figure 1D). He was diagnosed with a sinus venosus defect, anomalous right upper pulmonary venous drainage and suspicion for extrinsic compression of LMCA by the dilated RPA that was confirmed on cardiac CT (Figure 1E-I). He was started on triple therapy for PAH with a significant reduction in PA pressures (mean 36 mmHg and PVR 2.1 WU). Percutaneous stenting of the LMCA was deferred and he underwent successful sinus venosus defect repair with a 5mm fenestrated patch, baffling of the anomalous pulmonary veins and a 32 mm interposition graft in the MPA with reduction plasty of MPA/RPA. Conclusion: This is an unusual presentation of unrepaired CHD with angina due to a compressed LMCA from a dilated pulmonary artery. Treatment of the underlying PAH as well as repair of the defect including reduction plasty of the MPA is a consideration for symptomatic relief.


1995 ◽  
Vol 269 (4) ◽  
pp. R943-R947
Author(s):  
Y. Kikuchi ◽  
H. Nakazawa ◽  
D. L. Traber

We developed a chronic lung fistula that drains only the left lung, allowing for evaluation of injury in a single lung. To remove lymph drainage from the right lung into the caudal mediastinal lymph node, the right lower pulmonary ligament was severed. Pneumatic occluders were placed on the left pulmonary arteries and veins. To ensure that lymph drained from only the left lung, we increased the right pulmonary arterial pressure (RPAP) from 21.2 +/- 0.5 to 36.5 +/- 0.6 mmHg. The left pulmonary arterial pressure (LPAP) was kept at wedge pressure level for 1 h by inflating pneumatic occluders. Lymph flow from the left lung fistula was stable during this occlusion. Six hours after recovery was increased the LPAP from a baseline level of 19.1 +/- 1.0 to 36.4 +/- 0.9 mmHg and the RPAP from 21.2 +/- 0.5 to 38.0 +/- 0.8 mmHg for 2 h by inflating the pneumatic occluders on the left and right pulmonary veins. Lymph flow increased from 5.3 +/- 1.0 to 28.0 +/- 2.9 ml/h. Reflection coefficient was calculated at 0.80 +/- 0.02.


1995 ◽  
Vol 268 (4) ◽  
pp. H1483-H1489 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. H. Steinhorn ◽  
J. A. Russell ◽  
F. C. Morin

Ligation of the ductus arteriosus of the fetal sheep produces severe pulmonary hypertension at birth. Standard tissue bath techniques were used to study third- and fourth-generation pulmonary arteries and veins isolated from fetal sheep with pulmonary hypertension created by ligation of the ductus arteriosus 11–12 days before birth as well as from age-matched control sheep. Vessels pretreated with indomethacin and propranolol were submaximally preconstricted with norepinephrine before exposure to A-23187 (10(-8) to 3 x 10(-7) M), sodium nitroprusside (SNP; 10(-9) to 10(-5) M), and nitric oxide (NO) gas (1-973 ppm). Pulmonary veins in both control and ligated animals relaxed similarly and completely to A-23187, SNP, and NO. Control pulmonary arteries relaxed by 16 +/- 2% to A-23187 and relaxed completely to SNP and NO, with concentration-response curves shifted rightward of those observed in pulmonary veins. Pulmonary arteries from ligated animals did not relax at all to A-23187. SNP relaxations in ligated arteries were shifted rightward of control. Ligated arteries relaxed by only 11 +/- 5% to the highest dose of NO. However, control and ligated pulmonary arteries relaxed similarly to 8-bromoguanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-bromo-cGMP; 10(-5) to 10(-3) M) and atrial natriuretic peptide (10(-9) to 10(-7) M). These data are most simply explained by decreased arterial vascular smooth muscle sensitivity to NO at the level of soluble guanylate cyclase.


1960 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dali J. Patel ◽  
Donald P. Schilder ◽  
Alexander J. Mallos

The relationship between instantaneous distending pressure and diameter of the pulmonary artery was studied in 18 living thoracotomized dogs. An electrical caliper with adequate recording characteristics was developed for instantaneous diameter measurement. Control observations were made over a range of pressures induced by rapid, right heart dextran-infusion and were compared with those obtained during norepinephrine administration. Results indicate: a) the pulse contours of the pulmonary artery pressure and diameter are essentially identical, indicating negligible inertance and viscous resistance of the vessel wall, b) the mean change in average radius during a cardiac cycle was ±7.8% ± 2.86 S.D. ± .32 S.E.M. (0.48%/cm H2O pulse pressure) under control conditions, c) the ratio of change in radius to pulse pressure, R/P, showed a significant decrease during norepinephrine administration when compared to control values within the same pressure range (P < .01) and d) the cross-sectional area of the main pulmonary artery exceeded that of the right and left combined. Note: (With the Technical Assistance of Alfred G. T. Casper) Submitted on August 25, 1959


Radiology ◽  
1974 ◽  
Vol 111 (1) ◽  
pp. 177-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. W. Krause ◽  
H. J. Kuehn ◽  
R. D. Sellers ◽  
W. J. Wilson

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