Alveolar-arterial equilibration in the lung of sheep

In order to compare the efficiency of sheep lung with that of dog, gaseous exchange in hypoxia (FIO2 0.12-0.13) with and without CO in the inspired air ( FICO 0.001) was measured in 12 sheep (mean body weight = 30.4 kg) under pentothal anesthesia and artificial ventilation. Alveolar-arterial pressure difference of O2, % venous admixture and amount of VA/Q inhomogeneity were found to be substantially larger than in dog. Steady-state pulmonary diffusing capacity estimates, computed by three different procedures were, both for O2 and for CO, about 40% smaller than in dog. The DLO2/DLCO ratios were not significantly different from those determined on dog data: thus, the presumed beneficial effect of sheep small erythrocytes on O2 transfer could not be demonstrated. Because its DLO2/MO2 ratio is lower than that of dog, sheep appears to be more adequate than dog as a model for human alveolar-arterial gas exchange.