Effect of pulmonary perfusion on lung fluid filtration in young lambs

To study the effect of pulmonary perfusion on fluid filtration in the newborn lung, we measured pulmonary vascular pressures, cardiac output, lung lymph flow, and concentrations of protein in lymph and plasma of nine healthy, awake lambs, 2-3 wk old, before and during sustained alterations in pulmonary blood flow. A 12% reduction in cardiac output (from partial occlusion of the inferior vena cava) led to a corresponding decrease in lymph flow, consistent with a reduction in net lung fluid filtration. A 20% increase in pulmonary blood flow (from opening an external shunt between the carotid artery and jugular vein) increased lymph flow by approximately 40%, without a significant change in lymph protein concentration. These findings suggest that lung microvascular surface area expanded in response to increased perfusion, with little or no change in filtration pressure. In five lambs, lung microvascular pressure was increased by inflating a balloon catheter in the left atrium to establish full patency of the pulmonary microcirculation. In the presence of left atrial pressure elevation, increased perfusion through the arteriovenous shunt had no significant effect on pulmonary vascular pressures or lymph flow. Thus, in young lambs, modest changes in pulmonary blood flow may affect lung fluid filtration by altering perfused microvascular surface area; this response is inhibited in the presence of left atrial hypertension.