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Three-Dimensional Echocardiographic Method for the Visualization and Assessment of Specific Parameters of the Pulmonary Veins
Published on: October 28, 2020
Functional anatomy of bronchial veins
Nirmal B Charan1, William H Thompson, Paula Carvalho
1Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, VA Medical Center, 500 West Fort Street, Boise, ID 83702, USA. Nirmal.Charan@med.va.gov
Pulmonary Pharmacology & Therapeutics
|June 30, 2006
Summary
Bronchial venous blood drainage into the systemic circulation is minimal, with only 13% flowing into the azygos vein. The majority of bronchial arterial blood flow returns via the pulmonary circulation.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Respiratory System Anatomy
Background:
- The precise drainage pathways of bronchial venous blood into the systemic circulation are not well-established.
- Understanding bronchial venous return is crucial for comprehending pulmonary and systemic blood flow dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To delineate the functional anatomy of the bronchial venous system.
- To quantify the proportion of bronchial arterial blood flow draining into the systemic venous system versus the pulmonary circulation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized adult sheep models under anesthesia and mechanical ventilation.
- Employed surgical isolation of the left azygos vein to measure bronchial venous blood flow and pressure.
- Monitored bronchial arterial blood flow using an ultrasonic flow probe.
Main Results:
- Mean bronchial blood flow was 20.6+/-4.2 ml/min.
- Approximately 13% of bronchial arterial blood flow was measured to drain into the azygos vein.
- Bronchial venous occlusion pressure was 38.1+/-2.1 mmHg, significantly lower than mean systemic artery pressure (72.4+/-4.1 mmHg).
Conclusions:
- The majority of bronchial arterial blood flow predominantly returns to the pulmonary circulation.
- Only a small fraction (around 13%) of bronchial venous blood drains into the systemic venous system.
- Bronchial venous blood exhibits oxygen content similar to systemic arterial blood.
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