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Congenital heart malformations are often associated with altered pulmonary hemodynamics. Lesions associated with increased pulmonary blood flow (PBF) or increased mean pulmonary artery pressure (MPAP) may in turn alter respiratory mechanics. Surgical correction of these cardiac defects frequently involves the use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), during which the lung may be partially or completely atelectatic for lengthy periods, further compromising lung mechanics. The aims of this study were to document the effect of PBF on respiratory mechanics in children and to determine whether the detrimental effects of CPB were outweighed by the potentially positive effects of the corrective surgery. Twenty-three children (2-120 mo) undergoing surgery were studied while anesthetized, paralyzed, and mechanically ventilated. Pulmonary to systemic blood flow ratio was used as an index of PBF. Seventeen children had lesions associated with increased PBF (group 1), while six had decreased or normal PBF (group 2). Respiratory mechanics were measured just before the commencement of CPB and within approximately 2 h after the cessation of CPB, with the chest closed. Dynamic elastance (Ers,dyn) and resistance (RRS) were calculated from flow, volume (V), and pressure (Pao) measurements, using multiple linear regression with a volume-dependent single compartment model. Static elastance (ERS,st) was calculated from Pao and V measurements obtained when deflating the lung in steps from a maximal Pao of 30 cm H2O. ERS,dyn, ERS,st, and RRS increased significantly with increasing PBF to 220-330% predicted. There was no correlation between MPAP and respiratory mechanics. After CPB, ERS, dyn and RRS fell to normal levels in group 1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

We studied the effect of a single-dose, corticosteroid treatment on preterm lambs (gestational age: 128 d). A low, medium, or high betamethasone dose (0.1, 0.5, and 2.0 mg/kg) or saline control was administered directly to the fetus by ultrasound-guided intramuscular injection 48 h before delivery. A second group received either the high dose of betamethasome or saline 24 h before delivery. The lambs were delivered at 128 d gestation, anesthetized with ketamine, and ventilated for 50 min. Respiratory system elastance and resistance were measured at 10-min intervals using multiple linear regression analysis of pressure, flow, and volume. Similarly, estimates of lung mechanics were calculated from transpulmonary pressure. The viscoelastic time constant (tau) was calculated by fitting an exponential to the pressure changes occurring after occluding the airway during expiration. Excised lung volume at 40 cm H2O and lung weight were used to calculate specific elastance and resistance correcting for lung size using volume or weight, respectively. Of the 13 lambs in the 48-h high-dose betamethasone group, five developed pulmonary interstitial emphysema (PIE) as did 3 of 11 animals in the high-dose group treated 24 h before delivery. These animals were analyzed separately. The lambs receiving medium- or high-dose (24 and 48 h predelivery) betamethasone had significantly lower elastance and a trend toward lower resistance when compared with the control groups. Ten minutes after delivery, the animals that developed PIE all had elastance values comparable to that of the control animals despite corticosteroid treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)