Tolerance of dog lung to hyperthermic perfusion

¹ Department of Surgery, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, Kansas

Hyperthermia of the left lung of the dog was produced by pulmonary artery perfusion in 29 animals. It was found that the lung tolerates tissue temperatures up to 43 C for periods as long as 60 min without significant permanent disturbance of structure or function as measured by blood gas analysis, angiography, and contralateral pulmonary artery ligation. Elevation of the lung temperature above 43 C for periods longer than 10–12 min resulted in partial or total destruction of pulmonary tissue. Data are presented regarding perfusion techniques, factors affecting lung tolerance to hyperthermia, and possible areas for future study.

Key Words: pulmonary hypoxia • high temperature • extracorporeal • lung perfusion

Submitted on August 24, 1964