To evaluate the effects of major vascular surgery on respiratory mechanics,
11 patients undergoing general anaesthesia for abdominal aortic surgery we
re studied. Before aortic cross-clamping, chest wall elastance and resistan
ce both increased (by 126% and 58%, respectively) when surgical retractors
were placed. After aortic cross-clamping, lung elastance increased by 29%,
accompanied by a decrease in cardiac index (22%) and an increase in pulmona
ry (17%) and systemic (15%) vascular resistance. After aortic unclamping, l
ung elastance decreased, although it remained higher than baseline values (
by 12%). All cardiovascular variables returned to the values obtained befor
e aortic cross-clamping.