Pulmonary Function and Circulatory Dynamics in Artificial Pneumoperitoneum

1) Cardiopulmonary function was investigated in five patients with chronic pulmonary emphysema before and after therapeutic pneumoperitoneum. 2) Striking clinical improvement occurred in two and moderate improvement in one. Two showed no improvement. 3) Clinical improvement was associated with an increase in inspiratory capacity and maximum breathing capacity and a reduction in residual air, total pulmonary capacity and the ratio of residual air to total capacity. The arterial oxygen saturation increased with a concomitant reduction in carbon dioxide retention. 4) One patient with cor pulmonale and pulmonary hypertension demonstrated a sizable reduction in pulmonary artery pressure following pneumoperitoneum and attending improvement in blood gases. 5) The cardiac output decreased in all five cases following pneumoperitoneum, the percentage fall ranging from 10 to 30 per cent.