EFFECTS OF OLEIC-ACID LUNG INJURY AND POSITIVE END-EXPIRATORY PRESSURE ON CENTRAL HEMODYNAMICS AND REGIONAL BLOOD-FLOW

The objective of our study was to investigate the influence on central and regional circulation of the application of positive end-expirator y pressure (PEEP=P) in a canine model of low hydrostatic pulmonary ede ma. Eight mongrel dogs with oleic acid-induced pulmonary edema were ar tificially ventilated with and without PEEP. Regional blood flow was d etermined using radioactive microspheres directly injected into the le ft ventricle. Regional blood flow to the brain was maintained under al l experimental conditions, while the blood flow to the gastric fundal mucosa and to the pancreas significantly decreased following PEEP, ole ic acid injection (OA) and with PEEP and oleic acid combination (P+OA) . The renal blood flow decreased only during the P+OA phase. We conclu de that the observed decrease in blood flow to the gastrointestinal mu cosa and renal circulation in this acute low hydrostatic pressure pulm onary edema may correlate with the increased incidence of gastrointest inal and renal complications that accompany critically ill patients.